Hey Girl
by CayStar
Summary: Peter is out hunting one night when he stumbles across a different kind of prey, one he must have... "Hey, girl..."
1. Chapter 1

_**AN: Here's my new vamp story, finally! The first chapter was my entry for the Lyrics to Life contest, so it will have a little different feel from the following chapters. I'll update once a week for now, unless my writing speeds up ;)**_

_**I won the Host Favorite from DanceWithMeTonight (Thanks so much!), and even though it wasn't an award, I also got the most reviews. So there ;)**_

_**HUGE thanks to my beta and pre-reader- BetterinTexas and sabrina michaels. Extra huge thanks to Sabrina for writing my summary when I couldn't come up with anything! Love ya darlin'!**_

* * *

**Contest entry for Lyrics to Life Contest**  
**Title:** Hey Girl  
**Pairing:** Bella/Peter  
**Beta/Pre-reader:** Beta: BetterinTexas /Prereader: sabrina michaels  
**Song:** "Hey Girl"- Billy Currington  
**Disclaimer**: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herin. No copyright infringement is intended.  
**Summary:** Peter is out hunting one night when he stumbles across a different kind of prey, one he must have... "Hey, girl..."

* * *

_**Hey Girl**_

She stood behind the bar, enjoying the brief lull in activity as she wiped down the glasses that Mark brought in from the back room. Thursday nights were typically busy here, with his unlimited wings special and open mic night. Jerry was just finishing his guitar solo, and the crowd always quieted down when he took the stage.

In the tiniest window of silence, the door opened and the bell drew her attention to the tall figure striding confidently through the slightly intoxicated groups of people who probably should have gone straight home after work instead of stopping by the Bulls Eye.

Her eyes followed his progress, though she wasn't entirely sure why he had so thoroughly captured her attention; he was just another wanna-be cowboy looking for a good time.

There were several empty seats at the bar, but most of her regulars were settled in with their usual drink of choice and picking through the mixed nuts in the bowls full of germs that decorated the lacquered surface.

As he settled into a seat next to Patty, a 40-year-old divorcée who had just finished telling Bella that her ex had the kids for the week, she finally got a good look at his face. His skin was pale and smooth- too smooth- and it looked slightly wrong under the neon lights that painted him with a rainbow of artificial colors.

His cowboy hat was pulled low over his face, with long blonde hair sticking out from underneath. Her heart stuttered when he looked up at her and finally caught her eye- with his black, shadowed, thirsty ones. He was a vampire.

After a moment, her fear fled, and anger surged up to take its place. She was not going to let one of her customers be this frozen bastard's next meal. She narrowed her eyes as if she was trying to burn him with her glare, and ground out, "What can I get ya, Cowboy?"

He was caught off guard by the blatant hostility in her voice, but more so by the recognition in her eyes. What did she know? He stuttered out a quiet request for a whiskey, stunned again by her retort, "You look like you're thirsty for something more than _that."_

When she put the glass in front of him, she left her hand around it a beat too long, long enough for him to see the raised white scar that had absolutely no business being there on her small wrist. The tattoo below it also got his curiosity up, as it was clearly added after the bite, working around the curve and turning the blemish into something almost beautiful.

~oOo~  
_Hey girl, what's your name girl_ _  
I've been lookin' at you_ _  
And every guy here's doin' the same girl_ _  
It'd be a shame girl_ _  
If I let you just walk on by  
~oOo~_

"Hey-" he tried to speak, but she pulled away and turned all her attention to the woman on his right, the one he was eyeing up for dinner.

"Patty, hon, why don't you let Mark walk you home. You look exhausted and I know you can convince him to stop and eat where he just ignores me. Would you mind?" He was amazed at how well she managed to get two people she obviously cared about out of the bar and away from the predator she clearly did not fear.

"Mark!" she called, bringing the middle-aged man from the back, wiping his hands on the dirty apron he wore- the apron she quickly untied and slipped off him. He glared at her good-naturedly, and Peter couldn't mistake the look of paternal affection he gave her.

"What, Iz? I was about to do the paperwork," he grumbled, but no one missed the appreciative once-over he gave Patty, or the blush that darkened the woman's cheeks.

"Can you walk Patty home? I don't want her out on the street alone. Maybe you can take her to eat on the way- I know you haven't had anything since you got here this morning." The vampire watched helplessly as the girl bustled them out, stopping to whisper to the rather large bouncer at the door. Did she honestly think he could stop Peter if he really wanted to follow?

Of course she knew she couldn't hold him here, but she hoped his interest in her would keep him from following her boss or dining on the other customers. These people were the closest thing to a family she had had in the past two years, and she felt responsible for the supernatural danger that seemed to follow her wherever she went.

She made a point of ignoring him when she went back to her position behind the bar, but his eyes were glued to the strange girl with a mark from a vampire. The customers kept her busy, and he didn't miss the way every male there couldn't look away when she took their order, or begged for a dance saying she must be due for a break by now.

She smiled convincingly at all of them, but he could tell she was just as aware of him as he was of her. When she wasn't behind the bar, she seemed to keep herself between him and the exit, as if she could block his escape somehow. He never stopped to consider that she was doing just that already.

"Hey! Girl! We need another round over here!" A rather unruly group of college students yelled their request across the room, and a frown crossed her face briefly, making him wonder if they had given her trouble before. He startled himself by growling when one of them made a drunken grab for her rather nice-looking ass, now that he was looking.

That thought brought him up short. He didn't _see_ women, especially not human women, not since his Charlotte died. He knew Char wasn't his mate, but she was the closest thing he'd had, and losing her had cut him to the quick. The fact that this girl was even showing up on his radar was something to give him pause.

When she came back by, he tried again to get her attention, reaching out, but stopping just short of touching her skin, "Hey-"

In a much lower voice than she used before, but still plenty loud for his vampire hearing, she whispered, "No, you can't eat him. He's a good guy, just gets a bit handsy when he's had too much to drink." And once again, she was gone before he had time to process her words and formulate a response that would make him sound remotely intelligent.

Almost two hours after her boss left, he came back, alone, eyeing Peter and his still-untouched shot of whiskey with suspicion. "Any problems, Iz?"

She also glanced at the vampire, with almost a warning look. He got it, the dude wasn't food. Sheesh, did she think he was stupid or something? Once again, he didn't acknowledge the fact that this small human was somehow putting him on a diet. He just watched how she moved, every minute expression that crossed her face.

Her beautiful face- he couldn't hide the truth from himself any longer. He thought the damn hamburger was attractive. He was suddenly glad Jasper wasn't here, because his brother would surely be giving him hell for entertaining the idea of fucking his food. And damn, if that thought wasn't firmly lodged in his brain now.

He stared at that ass, all wrapped up in skin tight jeans. Jeans that flowed down to those knee-high boots that he was suddenly picturing wrapped firmly around his waist as he pushed her up against the wall and plunged his long-neglected cock into her searing heat. And fuck, now he was thirsty _and_ hard.

Somehow, some way, he was gonna get that girl to go home with him. He didn't even know why she had so thoroughly tied him up in knots, but he was gonna do everything in his considerable power to make her his.

~oOo~ _  
I'm all caught up in your sweet smile_  
_A girl like you comes around once in a while_ _  
So hot, gotta give it a shot_ _  
Gotta get get a little bit of what you got  
_~oOo~

Squaring his shoulders, he tried again as she walked past him to the other end of the bar, "Hey girl-" He stopped suddenly, unsure what else to say to this perplexing human, finally settling on probably the dumbest thing he could say, "What's your name?"

He did an internal face-palm at how stupid he sounded, but it seemed to pay off when her mouth lifted in an almost indulgent smile. She knew he had a perfect memory, and her name had been called out half a dozen times in just the past few minutes alone. He was easily the strangest vampire she'd ever seen, and considering her history, that was really saying something.

"You can call me Iz," she offered, wondering briefly why she was talking to him, and what he was waiting for. She thought for sure he was with Victoria, but his behavior was completely out of character for a scout, and he was definitely not a newborn, not with the control he was showing. Maybe his finding her was nothing more than a random coincidence.

He continued to watch her as the patrons trickled out and new ones replaced them, until Mark yelled out last call, and Iz began cleaning up the bar. Looking around to be sure no one was watching, she picked up his untouched whiskey and tossed it back with a practiced hand. He raised one eyebrow, and noticed her heart rate spike at the action, though he was completely unaware of just how sexy he looked at that moment.

Shaking off her irrational thoughts, she finished cleaning and turned to the register to settle up. Mark waved her off, telling her she deserved an early night for once, and didn't she have a life anyway? Only Peter could hear the sigh she let out at his words. No, she didn't have a life. Not anymore.

They were both startled when he reached out one cold finger to lift her chin and look into her eyes. The pain he saw there made his dead heart lurch, and filled him with a new purpose. Some how, some way, this girl was gonna be his. _MINE_. The thought startled him and his eyes widened, startling the girl and speeding up her heart, flooding him with her intoxicating scent.

"Hey, can I give you a ride somewhere? I think we need to talk," his low and husky voice caught her off guard as heat shot immediately to her groin. Of course she thought he was sexy. Why wouldn't she? He wasn't human...

She snorted a bit in disbelief, "Sure, you want to talk. I'll get right on that." Her voice dropped a bit at the end in resignation. She had cheated death too many times, and it finally caught up to her. The least she could hope for was that he would be gentle. Sighing again, she pulled away from his hand and turned to gather her things from the back room. Stopping by Mark's office, she told him good night and wished him luck with Patty, glad she had done at least one thing to better another's life in her short time here in Phoenix.

After losing everything important to her, she moved constantly from town to town, working odd jobs and making just enough to pay rent on a run-down apartment wherever she ended up. Mark had taken her in and trained her in bartending, overlooking the fact that she was still several months away from her 21st birthday when he hired her.

She hoped her presence in his life wouldn't lead to the older man's demise, but her past record did not bode well for him. Gathering the rest of her things, she lingered a bit over the worn picture of Jacob, her sun, whose light was extinguished way too soon. Pressing a kiss to the battered old paper, she whispered, "I'm so sorry, Jake. I tried, but they still found me. I hope I'll see you soon..."

~oOo~  
_Hey girl, whatcha think girl_ _  
And if you want we can roll out_  
_I know my way around this town_  
_I got a shotgun seat for you  
_~oOo~

Through the door, Peter heard her quiet words and worried briefly at their meaning. Was someone else waiting for her? The "Jake" who was tattooed on her creamy skin? Surely he wasn't the one who left the mark on her wrist; if he was, Peter was prepared to fight him to the death to claim her.

His eyes were still dark when she walked slowly through the door, every part of her slumped with the air of defeat. He realized then that she truly thought he was going to kill her, and he had no idea how to revise her grossly incorrect assumptions.

She walked up to him without looking up once, and he couldn't bear the distance that felt like a yawning chasm between them. Once more, he tipped her chin up with the lightest touch of his finger, and softened his voice to sound as non-threatening as possible, "Hey, let's get out of here, ok?"

She nodded, turning away to head for the door, but he didn't miss the two tear drops that fell from her luminous brown eyes. He led her to his truck, but she barely seemed to notice as he helped her up into the raised cab and moved quickly to the driver's side.

He was suddenly at a loss for words as the perfect familiarity of her scent filled the cramped space, taking every last functioning brain cell he had with it. He cracked the windows, hoping to regain his vampire senses with the fresh, dry desert air, and started driving out of town toward his house.

Her tears continued, silently but unabated, and he finally stopped the truck and turned to look at her for the first time since they left the bar. Her eyes were fixed out the window, but her right hand was absently tracing the dark ink on her left wrist, following the letters as if she could feel them.

He was still completely tongue-tied, something his brother would find hilarious if he was near. Peter was not known for being short on words, despite the situation; that was something that had caused him no small amount of trouble when he was with Maria. He simply could not take his eyes off the gorgeous brunette still sitting in his truck.

She would probably think he was crazy, but he wouldn't leave her alone without making every attempt possible to make her his. _MINE._

_~oOo~  
I know you don't know me but  
I can't leave here lonely_ _  
Knowin' I didn't even try to make you mine and_ _  
You might think I'm crazy_  
_Girl but who could blame me_ _  
You're lookin' so fine, got me all tongue tied_ _  
And the only line I can think to say is  
_~oOo~

"Hey girl-"


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N: Wow, I am blown away by the response so far! Thanks so much for your reviews!_**

* * *

_Disclaimer- I own nothing but the story line. Characters all belong to Stephenie Meyer, and I sure as hell ain't her!_

**Hey Girl- Chapter 2**

Bella didn't realize the truck had stopped until Peter reached over and gently touched her hand. She jerked back reflexively and glanced over to see him wipe a hurt look off his face before he looked back to the front. "I ain't gonna hurt you, girl. I just wanna talk," he quietly drawled.

Her brow furrowed in confusion; she was so sure he brought her out here to make her his next meal, and she was just hoping to spare her friends by drawing him away from them. Was there really more to this vampire than she originally thought?

He sighed, looking out his own window, chuckling darkly, "Yeah, I guess I can't blame you for not trusting me. You obviously know what I am, I just want to know how? And who gave you that fuckin bite?'

She sucked in a sharp breath when his cold hand gently grabbed her wrist, thumb carefully grazing the bite without touching her tattoo. The small show of respect was enough to drop her guard a bit. Enough to give him a little information, "I dated a vampire when I was in high school."

Her quiet words set off alarm bells in his head, but he was too distracted by her sweet scent to make the obvious connection. There weren't exactly an over-abundance of vampires that went to high school, after all.

Using every ounce of restraint he had, he kept his voice low and even, non-threatening, as he inquired about the source of the bite that had piqued his curiosity the first time he saw it. "And did this vampire you dated _bite_ you?"

She snorted a laugh that completely lacked humor, "No, the vampire I dated sucked the venom out. He liked me better as a fragile, fragrant human."

Peter very nearly took the door off his truck with his need to protect his mate from himself. He jumped out of the truck and ran a short distance away, letting out a loud, anguished roar. She had confirmed his worst suspicions, and given him a worthy target for his unbridled rage. A vampire, one of his kind, had kept his beautiful mate as a _pet_.

He spent several minutes cursing the barren desert landscape, wishing for some trees to punch, before he settled on pulverizing the boulders littering the side of the highway. The far-off lights of an approaching vehicle finally pulled him from his rage, and he turned to stalk back toward the truck, and Bella.

She whimpered when he opened the door, and he turned in shock to see her cowering against the far side of the truck. His eyes widened as he took in her trembling form, tear-streaked face, and the sharp scent of fear that tainted her heady fragrance. His mate was afraid of him.

His vampire brain processed several things at once. First, despite her fear, she hadn't tried running from the predator that he was. She obviously had more experience in that particular area than he was comfortable with. Second, while she had seemed almost resigned before, the sudden surge of adrenaline had given her a bit of fight, and he could see it there in her eyes.

Finally, she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. His dead heart broke a little when she cringed away from his dark gaze, and he held his hands up to show her he still wasn't a threat to her.

Her eyes narrowed against the glare of the passing car, but she made no attempt to escape from his truck. Peter's curiosity finally got the best of him and he asked, "Why didn't you run if you're so scared?"

She looked at him with those huge eyes, blinking guilelessly against his sharp stare. Shaking her head in confusion, she answered, "You would have chased me...?"

He couldn't hold back a short laugh; he would never understand this woman.

Bella kept her eyes on the strange vampire, watching every move with fear and trepidation. She had just started to relax when he jumped out of the car and had his little roadside fit, but now she was back on high alert. He was still thirsty, and now he was angry about something, and in her experience that was a lethal combination.

Being in Phoenix with a blonde human-drinking vampire, she couldn't help but think about James. His feral eyes, the way he moved with inhuman grace and speed, the careless manner in which he broke her body as if she were no more than a small twig. He had stepped so casually on her leg after he tossed her across the room like a rag doll. It was a much better demonstration of vampire strength than Edward's little sparkly disco ball and tree-throwing show.

And of course, there was Edward. Edward who loved her blood so much he cursed her to this half-life of hide and seek, mourning those she lost to Victoria's evil ways. Edward, who was so worried about her safety that he pushed her into a glass table in a room full of vampires. Good old Edward.

"Hey!" Peter's voice was louder, and much closer than she expected. Her eyes flew open and met his worried burgundy ones less than a foot away from her face. She must have been lost in her memories for longer than she thought. "Iz, what's wrong?"

He was terrified that she was losing her mind somehow. She was curled in on herself, rubbing that tattoo almost frantically, with her eyes clenched tightly shut until he finally got through to her. What horrors haunted this girl? What could she have seen in such a short human life?

Peter knew all about horror. He was born into this life under the most sadistic vampires in the western hemisphere. Maria and her Major gave him a crash course in vampire warfare all before his first feeding. He'd seen his own body parts that most people had trouble seeing in a mirror, first hand. Dismemberment always was the quickest way to get a newborn's attention.

Blind luck was pretty much the only way he survived that first year; that, and his relatively calm emotional state. Jasper tolerated his presence and his valuable tactical mind, promoting him to captain when the rest of his group was destroyed. Of course, he had to pay his dues in Maria's bed, something Jasper foisted off on him every chance he could get. Peter was pretty sure that was the main reason his life was spared- to give Jasper an escape from the bitch's lair.

Looking at his little mate, he could see the same pain in her eyes that he had lived with for almost a century. She was locked in his gaze, unable to look away, even if she wanted to. It was a different sensation from when Edward would "dazzle" her, and still different from the hunter's lure that James and Laurent used. Those techniques all left her disoriented and confused, while Peter made her feel... safe? No that couldn't be right. He was a vampire.

He reached out slowly and tucked a wayward strand of hair back behind her ear with the lightest of touches. She closed her eyes and shook her head a bit, trying to shake off the foreign sensations, but without her sight his touch seemed even more powerful than his eyes were alone.

"You feel it, don't you?" he murmured quietly, afraid to raise his voice and scare her once again. "You feel the pull? The connection?"

Her eyes flew open at his words and she stared at him in shock. What on earth was he talking about? Pull? Connection? That sounded like-

"NO!" She jerked back from his touch, banging her head on the window in the process. "No! You can't pull that mating shit with me. I've heard it all before. If you're going to eat me, just get it over with. If you're not, I'll just walk from here, ok? Ok... bye..."

She was out the door and at least five steps down the road before he processed her words and jumped out to stop her. He moved faster when she began to fall back on the pavement, grabbing her waist and pulling her close to his body. Damn, she smelled too good.

"FUCK! Don't jump out at people like that! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Her fear was clearly gone and the anger he was more familiar with had returned with a vengeance. He filed that thought away for future reference- surprising her was different from scaring her, and it seemed to be directly connected to her temper.

Instead of answering her, he gave in to the desire that had been building all night. He left one hand on her tiny waist, fingers drifting down to that firm little ass he already loved. His other hand moved up her back, feeling the heat of her skin through her thin t-shirt, finally gripping the back of her neck and tilting her face up to his.

With both hands, he pulled her close and bent her over backwards enough that he could press his nose to that pulsing vein in her slender neck, growling softly as he inhaled deeply. His tongue slipped out to trace a cool line from her collarbone up to her ear, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

She gasped in a strange combination of fear and arousal, caught off guard to find her death suddenly near. Her pulse was pounding loud enough she thought she could hear it herself, and she closed her eyes when she felt his lips against the same sensitive spot that Jake always favored- just under her ear, behind her jawbone. He always claimed her scent was concentrated there and he would spend hours sucking and biting while they made love.

She focused on the sweet memories of Jacob as she prepared to join him in whatever afterlife awaited her. She wasn't sure she deserved heaven, but she knew that Jake definitely did, and she thought he would want her there with him. If she concentrated hard enough she could remember the feel of his warm hands holding her tight, his sweet taste as his lips caressed hers, his thick tongue staking a claim on every square inch of her mouth-

Her eyes flew open in shock when she realized the hands holding her and the lips kissing her were _cold_, not hot. The flavor was still sweet, but she never expected to kiss another vampire after Edward, and she certainly didn't think a human drinker would have the control needed to stick his tongue down her throat.

She pulled away as best she could, pushing against his stone chest futilely. He yielded to her wishes and pulled his face back, still holding her tight, unable to let her go completely. "What's wrong?" his voice sounded strained, husky even, and nothing like a typical vampire.

Trying to catch up with the past few minutes, she wracked her brain for an answer. She didn't feel right telling him she was imagining he was her dead werewolf boyfriend, or asking him why he was kissing her instead of biting her neck. Based on what she could feel pressed against her hip he was obviously enjoying their kiss, and she felt a little bad that she was not altogether present for it, but the only thought that moved from her brain to her mouth was, "I don't even know your name!"

Much like he had done back in the bar, she was kicking herself for the ridiculous comment, regardless of its truth, when she was so connected to him physically. For his part, he looked properly abashed, wondering how on earth he forgot to introduce himself to his mate. Charlotte would have slapped him upside the head for that one.

Quickly shutting down his thoughts of his past love, he focused on his mate in his arms. Pulling out his most charming smile, he looked at those deep brown eyes and said, "Peter Whitlock, ma'am. Pleased to meet you."

Her mouth dropped open slightly at his sparkling eyes and soft grin, but his name pricked at her memory, trying to pull something forward she had buried down deep. Shaking her head to clear the fuzziness, she offered, "I'm Bella Swan, but around here I go by Izzy Black. I would say it's nice to meet you, but I'm still trying to figure that part out."

His delighted laughter rang out deep and loud, echoing in the night air. She smiled a little at the pleasant sound and studied his face a little more carefully. Though he had no human signs of aging, he still looked older than the Cullens in a way, more mature somehow. She guessed he was probably well into his 20's when he was changed, maybe even pushing 30. His hat was pushed back on his head, and one lock of blonde hair had slipped down over his right eyebrow.

Moving slowly, almost tentatively, she reached up and brushed the hair aside, before looking back at his slowly darkening eyes. With a forgotten gesture, she traced the dark circle under his eye and let out a quiet, "Hmmm."

Peter was frozen as she explored his face, never having been touched by a human so intimately. The fact that she had her fragrant wrist directly in front of his teeth seemed to completely escape her notice. Desperate for a distraction, he asked, "What? What's wrong?"

She smiled and pulled her hand back, "You're still thirsty. I interrupted your hunt earlier."

He was shocked that she would discuss his diet so casually when she had been so opinionated before, but he quickly shook off her concerns. "It's ok. I have a couple of bags at home to tide me over, and I'll just hunt when we come back to town. Do you work tomorrow?"

Her eyes widened at his question, and she looked like she had to actually think about the answer. "Well, yeah, I'm supposed to. I just thought, I mean, when we left-"

Pulling her close again, he tucked her head under his chin and stroked her hair softly, "I'm sorry I didn't make myself clearer. I never want you to fear me, you have no reason. I will never hurt you, and I will do everything in my power to keep anyone else from hurting you either."

They stayed like that for several minutes until he felt her sag against him a little as she yawned. Looking down at her sleepy face, he took her hand to lead her back to his truck. "We can talk more tomorrow when you wake up, but I'd like to get you home now, ok?"

With her fears temporarily eased, the loss of adrenaline left her exhausted and she went with him without arguing. Less than a mile down the road she leaning against the window, sound asleep. Peter waited until he was sure she was out, then he reached over and pulled her down to stretch out on the seat.

He wanted to rest her head on his thigh, but knew he was too hard to be comfortable. Instead, he spread her hair over his lap, spending the rest of his drive combing through the tangled strands.

Her scent surrounded him, but seemed to bring him clarity for once. He didn't know her story, but he knew his part in it. He would have to change her to save both their lives, as the Volturi would love nothing more than to destroy them for the knowledge she possessed. Not to mention what would happen if Caius knew who had killed his little pet, Maria.

Peter had killed more than his fair share of vampires over the years, but the most satisfying was when he finally took out the bitch that made his life hell and destroyed his lover, Charlotte.

Jasper hadn't spoken to Peter in almost ten years, since Charlotte was killed by some of Maria's scouts in New Mexico. Alice had answered Peter's call then, telling him that his former brother wanted nothing to do with him, since he had failed so miserably at protecting their Charlotte.

Peter was alone, and completely miserable, so he headed down to Maria's territory, ready to end things once and for all. He caught her just after culling time, when her new soldiers were still changing. Two of his old allies knew immediately why he was there, and they joined him in his fight.

He was sure to make a conscious decision before ripping off Maria's head, hoping that Alice would see and tell her mate his sire was now dead. Peter's vengeance hadn't helped things, though, and Jasper still didn't want to see him.

Peter hated to bother his brother, but he didn't know who else to turn to. He had no idea what kind of newborn Iz would be, but extra hands would always help. As he thought of the Cullens, his brain made the final leap and he nearly ran his truck off the road.

Looking down at his mate, he shook his head in disbelief. She knew the Cullens? She dated... Edward?!

* * *

_**AN: (Yes, another one. Sorry!)**_

**_Wanted to let you know about a couple of contests. First, the Friends to Lovers contest is now voting so go check it out. It's under my favorite authors or here: /u/4984599/FriendsToLoversContest You have to be in desktop mode to see the poll._**

**_Also, The Blue Watch is still accepting entries so go read what's there and write something as well! /u/5148797/TheBlueWatch_**

**_And if you're not following me on twitter yet, come find me at caystar13star_**


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer- I own nothing but the story line. Characters all belong to Stephenie Meyer, and I sure as hell ain't her!_

**Hey Girl- Chapter 3**

Bella woke slowly, trying to remember the delicious dream she was having. She felt well-rested for the first time in months, and the bed she was lying on was incredibly comfortable.

She rolled over, pulling the covers over her head, and buried her face in the pillow beneath her. It smelled familiar, and so enticing, and she hummed happily as she stretched her arms over her head.

A low chuckle from the doorway brought her up short, and she threw the blanket back to see the handsome blonde vampire leaning against the door jamb, the picture of casual ease. Her memories came rushing in and her face reddened as she thought of his kisses by the roadside.

She had a faint impression of cold arms carrying her inside and laying her on something soft- this bed, she supposed- but it was hazy with sleep. Trying to look as unaffected as possible, she rearranged her legs and peeked under the covers to see that she was still fully dressed, apart from her missing boots.

Peter laughed louder this time, "Don't worry, princess. I didn't take advantage of you while you were indisposed. I just slipped your boots off- no tellin' what kind of shit you walked through at that bar."

She was grateful for his consideration, because she had slept in those boots before and it was not something pleasant to wake up to. She stretched her legs out and wiggled her toes appreciatively.

His eyes were glued to those little toes like laser beams. He noticed them last night when he carefully pulled her boots off, but he tried to be respectful while she was asleep.

Seeing them again, he had to admit- he loved those toes. They were adorable- perfectly formed, with pretty pink nails that he would never have expected based on those sexy boots she was wearing. It just reinforced his belief that his mate was made just for him.

Bella blushed when she followed his gaze, and immediately tucked her feet under the covers. He shook his head like he was coming out of a daze, and raised his eyes to meet hers, grinning sheepishly at his distraction.

He ducked his head a bit and cleared his throat in an oddly human gesture, "Uh, I ran out just before dawn and grabbed some things from the store. I remember a few things from my human life, and I, well, I cooked some bacon and scrambled some eggs for you. I thought you might be hungry."

She was touched by his thoughtfulness, but her grief temporarily overshadowed that. The last person to make breakfast for her was Jake. It was the only meal he could handle on his own, and his wolf loved to feed her.

Peter looked concerned at her reaction, so she forced a small smile to show her appreciation. "Thanks, Peter. That sounds really good."

He lost his breath when she tossed her hair back over her shoulder as she slid from the bed to her feet. She was a human with dark brown hair, but the action instantly pulled a memory from him of Charlotte moving her long blonde hair the same way. Would everything about his mate always come back to his first companion? Bella deserved better than that.

She didn't notice his slight hesitation as she walked to the door, but she had other things on her mind. Peter was even more handsome in the morning light, and since he hadn't killed her in her sleep she was beginning to trust him a bit more. If she had to be mated to a vampire, he seemed like a pretty good candidate.

Bella had given up her dreams of becoming a vampire as soon as she and Jacob became involved. Now that Peter was here, she was thinking once more about her options, if she even had options anymore. The main thing that worried her was her memories. She didn't want to dwell on them as she had the past few years, but she didn't want to lose Jake completely either.

After detouring by the bathroom, which she was surprised to find fully stocked, including toilet paper, she settled herself at the table where Peter handed her a plate full of surprisingly edible-looking food. The eggs were fluffy and still steaming, while the bacon was crispy without being burned. Huh. The leech could actually cook.

Grateful that he couldn't hear her thoughts, she tucked into the meal and ate ravenously. Like her boss, she seldom stopped to eat when she was working, and she was several miles past hungry. "This is really good, Peter. Thanks."

She didn't see the gleaming smile he couldn't hold in, pleased at the simple act of feeding his mate. It soothed an instinct deep inside that had gone untouched for over a century.

He waited for her to finish before he brought up their plans for the day. "Um, so it's cloudy outside and looks like it might rain later. I thought I'd run you back to your place before your shift if you need to change clothes. You're more than welcome to shower here if you'd like, though."

She wasn't in a hurry to return to her dumpy apartment, and she had a feeling Peter wouldn't be leaving her there once he saw the part of town she lived in. She thought maybe they could hang out at his place for a little while longer.

Taking him up on his offer, she slipped into his shower with a clean t-shirt and a toothbrush he had picked up when he bought the breakfast food. He had every intention of being in close proximity to her mouth, and he couldn't stand the smell of human food.

While she showered, he cleaned the kitchen at vampire speed and settled down on the couch in the living room. He thought they might need to talk about their pasts and what their plan would be going forward. He didn't want to rip her from her life without giving her a chance for closure- something he was denied. But if there was a vampire after her, he needed her to be a little more sturdy for his own peace of mind.

Peter's silent heart dropped when she walked slowly from the bedroom holding a small picture frame in her hands. He knew without looking exactly what she had seen. It was one of his earliest pictures with Charlotte, taken in the late-1940's.

Char had always been a bit obsessed with human technology. She had been studying the development of cameras, and finally broke down and stole one while they were out hunting one night.

The next day was cloudy, so she dragged the boys out to a nearby lake and spent hours posing them just how she wanted. Before she ran out of film, she handed Jasper the camera and pulled Peter to stand on the edge of the lake, snuggling up under his arm.

Her wide grin was open and completely happy for the first time since they rescued Jasper, and Peter's smile was soft and full of love for his sweet companion. They'd taken countless other pictures over the years, but that first one was always his favorite, and the one he carried from house to house as they traveled.

"Peter?" she asked, sounding slightly unsure, "Who's this?"

Taking a deep breath, he walked over and carefully took the frame from her hands. He led her over to the couch and pulled her down beside him. He knew this was the perfect opening to start discussing their pasts, and how those pasts were connected, but he was slightly terrified that this might be the thing that would finally send her running.

"Her name was Charlotte. She was my very best friend, and my companion for many years." At her sharp intake of breath, he knew that she understood Char was gone, and she reached over to lay her hand on his in sympathy. He went on to explain how he was changed in 1917, on his way to register for the draft in Houston. His sire had been monitoring the area, watching for potential soldiers for his own sadistic conscription. Peter caught his eye because he knew Maria had a penchant for blondes.

He was careful not to mention Jasper by name, only calling him the Major, as he described the brutal training the newborns were put through in their camp. It was survival of the fittest at its goriest, and Peter had learned quickly to fight, and to serve. He told her how he survived his first year against the odds, and eventually earned his place at Jasper's side.

Bella realized with a start that Peter had been a vampire almost exactly as long as Edward had, but her mate had a much tougher beginning in this life. Her respect for the red-eyed vampire went up immensely as she recognized the same immutable need to survive that she herself also possessed. "Tell me about Charlotte," she said softly, when she saw that Peter was getting lost in the horror of his memories.

Peter pulled her closer, needing the comfort of her presence as he began to speak. "The Great Depression was a good time for the Southern Wars. We had a constant stream of soldiers and food coming through by rail or on foot, and most of them didn't even mind being changed because their human life was already shitty. Charlotte and her husband were a different story. They lived just outside of Austin on a large ranch that they were barely hanging on to.

"Maria decided their spread would be a good camp for us, as it was fairly isolated and had good tree cover and sturdy buildings. She sent me and Jas- uh, the Major- to bring the humans in for meals, but when he saw Charlotte, he told me to change her and keep her hidden from Maria. To this day I don't know what he did to her husband, but I know he never showed up in our army.

"The Major wanted Charlotte protected because he thought she reminded him of his human sister, and considering where she was living, it was possible she was a descendent. Over the next year, I trained her, taught her to fight, and kept her out of everyone's way. When it was time for her to be culled, he sent us both away, telling us to head north and not look back."

Bella looked up at him in surprise. The Major person he had described sounded like a heartless bastard, but he must have really cared about Charlotte and Peter to let them escape like that. She was too caught up in his story to notice his near-slip of Jasper's name, but he knew he'd have to tell her soon, before he told her accidentally.

"Yeah, so we traveled around, exploring the country, and we figured out pretty quick that there were no newborn armies or wars for territory in the north. We met a few nomads, but they were friendly enough as long as we didn't hunt where they were hunting.

"After about five years or so, Charlotte started feeling bad for the Major, and begged me to go back and bring him out of there. To this day I'm stilll not sure if I did the right thing by her or not." It was true; Peter had been over the different scenarios countless times, and it all came back to the fact that if he hadn't gone back for Jasper, Maria probably would have never given them a second thought. As it was, she bided her time and took Char out the first chance she got.

Shaking his head, Peter went on to explain how he lost Charlotte when she was hunting in Albuquerque, with permission from the warlord who controlled the area. Peter was meeting with said warlord, when one of their scouts ran up to tell him Charlotte was taken down by Maria's spies.

Bella held him closer when he told her of his suicide mission to Mexico, and breathed a sigh of relief when he told her that Maria was dead, and there was a fragile peace in the southwest now. His allies had split up Texas, leaving a large area around Houston for him, and he traveled between there and his home in Phoenix a few times a year.

Peter finally raised his head and looked at his little human mate, tucked safely in his arms. He was terrified that something could happen to her while she was this fragile, and he felt a sudden urgency to change her into something much more durable. He stared at those deep brown eyes, wishing with everything he had that they were red like his.

Bella could see the panic in his eyes, and she instinctively knew he was worried about losing her like he lost Charlotte. She could understand his worry; she'd already lost one supernatural lover, losing another would probably break the remaining single thread of sanity she had left.

Leaning closer to him, she raised one small hand to rest on his cold, smooth cheek. "Shh, it's ok. You won't lose me," she murmured quietly, a bit shocked at the warmth that traveled from his skin to hers. "I don't mind being changed, I just need to tie up things at the bar first, ok?"

Before she could blink, he was on her. His hard body pressed her down into the couch, mouth pressed firmly to hers. She moaned into his kiss once her mind caught up, and he answered with a sexy growl that she could feel all the way down to her toes.

She gave into his frenzied attack, yielding her body with uncharacteristic surrender. She didn't know if it had just been too long since she found anyone attractive, or the pull of this vampire mating shit, or what. She just knew she needed him closer, deeper, and preferably wearing a lot less clothes.

He stopped her hand when she reached for the bottom of his shirt, and she looked up at him in surprise. He dropped his head for a few seconds, then sighed as he looked up again. Standing up, he pulled her to sit next to him again, and pulled her hand into his much larger one.

Her eyes were drawn to his hands, noticing how strong they looked, with thick fingers and strangely rough-textured skin. She jumped when she noticed a small dent on his left pointer finger, like there was a tiny chunk missing from it. She ran her finger over the odd notch, then followed her eyes to the raised lines on the back of his hand. "What-"

"They're scars, Bella. I didn't escape the south completely unscathed." She gasped in recognition when he pulled his sleeve up and pointed out a crescent scar in nearly the same place as hers. When he pushed his sleeve up more, she saw that his skin was covered with matching scars, and there were several smooth lines that went all the way around his arm as well.

"Is that-"

"Yeah, that's where my arm was pulled off and reattached. I've got more." She couldn't suppress a shiver of desire when he finally pulled his shirt off, revealing his lean, toned body and pale, scarred skin. His muscles were defined, but she could also clearly see the shiny bites that marred his perfection.

She gave a little cry when her eyes traveled up to his neck and she saw the tell-tale horizontal line under a heavier concentration of layered bite marks. "Your head- oh!"

It was Peter's turn to gasp when she leaned over and began placing soft, gentle kisses on every scar she could find. He trembled when her finger traced the line at the base of his neck, following the progress as well as she could, healing the painful memories with the delicious warmth of her touch.

When her tongue peeked out to trace the line, he scooped her up and ran her at vampire speed to the bedroom. "I need you," he growled. "You ever been fucked by a vampire before?"

Her light giggle caught him off guard, but not as much as her next words, "Nope. Just a werewolf. Show me what you got, Sparkles."


	4. Chapter 4

_**AN**- I'm up for nominations in the Fandom choice awards, both in the wolf and vamp categories. Please go check it out at **thefandomchoiceawards dot blogspot dot com** and vote for me :)_

_Categories I'm nominated: Best Team Switzerland (Both categories), Vamp: Best Short (The Quiet Ones), Best non-canon (Independence Day), Best supporting cast (Independence Day)_  
_Wolf: Best Romance (Objects in Mirror), Best non-canon (Objects in Mirror), Best Bella Swan (Objects in Mirror)_

_It will probably be next week before I post another chapter. My kids are keeping me busy with UIL- specifically writing, spelling, and storytelling. They might be mine ;)_

* * *

_Disclaimer- I own nothing but the story line. Characters all belong to Stephenie Meyer, and I sure as hell ain't her!_

**Hey Girl- Chapter 4**

_"Show me what you got, Sparkles."_

Sparkles? What the hell? He drew back with an indignant expression that did nothing to make him look the least bit scary to her. She couldn't hold back another laugh, as she reached up to pull him back down to her. He followed reluctantly, but the kiss she gave him almost made him forget her earlier words.

She was more confident now, exploring his body with her hands, while her tongue carefully sought out every delicious corner of his mouth. This was nothing like Edward's careful, prudish kisses. Jake had laughed when she told him how chaste their relationship was, right before he showed her just how much further he was willing to go with her.

Peter definitely wanted her too. He held her tightly, probably leaving bruises, but he seemed desperate to have her, to claim her, and after learning more about him she was fairly eager to be claimed as well.

She gasped when his cold fingers slipped under her borrowed t-shirt, skimming her thighs on the way to cup her breasts. With a fierce growl, he slipped his nail up to rip the shirt in two, exposing her to his hungry gaze.

He sat back a bit to study her, eyes darkening as they roamed her curves. She was everything he'd imagined, and more. She was petite, but ironically didn't seem quite as delicate as Charlotte. He could feel the strength of her muscles beneath her smooth skin, skin that was as soft as rose petals.

He couldn't resist tasting her, and she squealed when he ran his tongue from the apex of her thighs, up her stomach and between her breasts, all the way to her neck, where he set to work marking her with his lips, since he couldn't use his teeth quite yet.

Her eyes rolled back in her head as he worshipped her body, and she was helpless to move until she felt his hard-as-steel length pressed tight to her bare thigh. She didn't know when he'd lost his pants, but she didn't waste any time worrying about it as she reached down to grab him.

He hissed loudly when her soft, hot hands wrapped around his sensitive cock. She was mesmerized by the contrasting textures- his skin was so soft, yet hard as well, and though he was cool as a vampire, she could feel heat radiating, almost pulsing as she stroked him.

Her hands were suddenly pressed up by her head, and his black eyes looked down at her in pure lust. He didn't ask permission, just began to slowly push his way into her heat. Their eyes were locked the whole way in, and they both sighed in relief as they were joined.

The feeling was indescribable, and they didn't move for a full minute. There was something more there, a deeper connection than either had ever experienced before; it felt as if their very souls recognized one another.

Peter kissed away the tears she didn't realize she had shed, and she wasn't even sure why she was crying. The emotions of the intimate act were overwhelming her, but a small part of her was also mourning this final acknowledgement that Jacob was truly gone. Peter was the first man to have her other than Jake, and he looked at her with tender understanding as he pressed his lips to hers.

He propped himself up on his elbows and threaded his fingers through hers, keeping her spread wide beneath him. Her eyes rolled back in pleasure as he rolled his hips against her, thrusting gently and steadily, taking his time. "So good," he moaned.

At her agreement, he began to speed up his movements, surprised by how quickly he was approaching his climax. She made him feel like it was his first time, and he hoped he could bring her with him so he wouldn't be completely embarrassed by his adolescent performance.

Changing his angle slightly, he leaned down and captured her lips in a deep kiss, pouring all of his emotions into it, a bit startled by the sheer strength of his feelings. Peter had never been as touchy-feely as his sire, but finding his mate was pulling new parts of him to the surface that he didn't even know he possessed.

As she arched up against him with a needy moan, he knew he couldn't hold on much longer. His pelvis put just enough pressure on her clit, and with a deep growl he commanded her, "Come with me, Izzy. Now."

Their mutual release seemed to pull them together, and Bella looked at him with new eyes, feeling the bond between them almost double in strength. He was completely enamored with her; his whole world revolved around the soft human beneath him, and he wanted to sing it from the treetops. The words were right on the tip of his tongue, but he knew it would scare her away if he said it this soon.

He rolled off to the side, and they both sighed at the loss of connection. He combed his fingers through her hair and watched as her eyes slowly fell closed as she drifted off to sleep.

She was soon dreaming, and he was thrilled when he heard her start muttering under her breath. He knew she'd kept a part of herself back from him, even while they were intimate, but her defenses were down while she was asleep.

His heart dropped when she breathed the name that still got under his skin- since it was literally under her skin- Jake. He turned his eyes to the ceiling and wondered how long it would take her to move on, to accept him completely. He still didn't know any more about her history than he did before, and his imagination kept coming up with theories that were worse than the one before.

Peter finally relaxed when she turned on her side and breathed his name. It was fond, if not passionate, but at least she wasn't whimpering in terror when she said it. He guessed he would take what he could get.

Around four o'clock he knew he needed to wake her so they could swing by her apartment before she had to be at work. He leaned over her and shook her shoulder gently. "Hey, Iz. Wake up, sugar."

Bella was groggy, coming out of her dream. It was one she hadn't had lately, and the clarity of it surprised her. She and Jake had a conversation out on First Beach one afternoon, where he told her what he planned to do if Edward Cullen ever came back to try and claim her.

"I don't care if you try to leave me, or if he wants to turn you into one of them. I will fight for you until your heart stops beating." He'd lightened the mood then with a chuckle, "Who knows, maybe even then."

Her eyes opened with a gasp, and she felt a moment of terror when she saw red eyes looming above her. A startled whimper was all she could get out, but the small sound and the way she moved back just about broke Peter's heart.

He drew back enough to break their gaze, and his shoulders drooped as he focused his attention on the quilt pattern. "I'm sorry, sugar. I didn't mean to scare you."

She tried to calm her frantic breathing as she realized where she was. The vampire she'd flinched away from was her mate, not Victoria. And by the looks of it, she'd hurt him with her reaction.

Moving closer, she placed her hand on his shoulder and tried to apologize. "I'm the one who's sorry, Peter. You didn't do anything wrong. I just had a dream, and then your eyes startled me is all."

Peter looked at her with the same concentration that Edward had when he tried to read her mind. He was so focused and intense that she felt exposed under his scrutiny. "I want you to know that whoever put this fear in you, wherever they are, I will find them. I will make you safe, don't ever forget that please."

She felt her eyes tear up at his passionate words, and she knew he was speaking the truth. She wasn't quite ready to share with him about Jacob, but she could give him this much. "Her name is Victoria. She's a red-headed bitch on a misguided quest for vengeance. The vampires who left me behind did a shitty job cleaning up their mess, and too many innocent people have had to pay for their negligence."

Peter's mind was whirling, wondering what on earth could have happened, and why his brother hadn't taken care of the issue before they abandoned his mate. It just didn't fit with anything he knew about Jasper or the Cullens. "Sugar, I'm gonna need you to explain that a bit more, if you don't mind."

She sighed and settled back against his chest. He held her close as she talked about the baseball game, the nomads' appearance, and her horrifying encounter with James. Peter was stunned by his mate's tenacity and ingenuity- it wasn't every day a human escaped the Major's grasp.

As soon as she explained James' demise, adding that the Cullens had neglected to seek out and destroy his mate, Peter was livid. "DAMN IT!" he roared, startling Bella out of his grasp and back against the pillows.

He didn't notice as he jumped up and started pacing at a faster-than-human speed, muttering under his breath. "He knew better! Jasper fucking knew better than that! What's the first rule? Kill one mate, kill the other. He drilled that into me from day one! How the hell could he let something like that go?"

When his words broke through to her, she was up and kneeling on the end of the bed at his next pass. "Hey!" she yelled, as she reached to tug on his arm. He stopped instantly, and turned his attention to her furious gaze. "What did you just say?"

His vampire mind instantly replayed the words he said and he knew he'd just fucked things up, royally. He sank down beside her, his rage forgotten for the moment, and buried his face in his hands. He could feel the heat from his furious mate as she hovered near him, waiting for his answer.

Looking up at her took every ounce of courage he possessed, and he still tried his best to keep an innocent look on his face. "Um, I know you knew the Cullens. Jasper Hale is the Major- my sire. He's Major Jasper Whitlock."

Bella kept him locked in her very heated glare, but to his credit he didn't back down. She finally huffed and crossed her arms. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

Peter raised his eyebrow, "Honestly? I wanted to avoid this reaction. I guessed you and the Cullens didn't part on the best terms, and you probably wouldn't react well to knowing my connection to one of them, distant as it is. You are surprisingly scary for such a small human."

At his wide eyes and earnest tone, she finally gave in and started laughing. She was figuring out he was pretty well wrapped around her finger, but it was nice to have the verbal confirmation.

"Ok, so the red-head is Victoria, the mate of the nomad that bit you? And despite your massive injuries and the fact that you had venom in your system, that prick Edward sucked the venom out instead of letting you turn? That had to hurt like hell! We had human slaves that went insane with the pain of venom removal- it was one of Maria's favorite games to play with girls that Jasper favored," Peter shivered at the memory and Bella sobered quickly at the implications.

She had spent a lot of time thinking about her time with Edward Cullen. She knew he was selfish, but she honestly never thought he was cruel. However, Peter was right. She remembered how much pain she was in after James' attack. It took months before she could get around normally, when it would have only taken three days for her to transform. Why had Carlisle let him do that to her? Her injuries weren't that different from Emmett's bear attack, and Rose had begged her father to change him.

The more she remembered, the more she realized just how arrogant and controlling Edward Cullen really was. He stalked her for weeks before they were even dating, then he controlled her every move after that. He distanced her from her friends, and even her father, all the while saying how everything he did was for the best.

Jake hadn't had to work too hard to get into Bella's heart. All he had to do was love her, and let her make her own decisions. It was an easy sell. Even while Jacob was protecting her, he never belittled her or made her feel inferior just because she was human. He respected her.

Looking back at Peter, she had an epiphany. This vampire could have simply plucked her out of her life and carried her off to bite her as soon as he realized she was his mate. She wouldn't have been able to fight him, and she doubted she would have complained once she woke up from the change, especially if the mating pull drew them together when she was a vampire.

Peter hadn't done any of those things, though. He waited for her to finish working, asked her if she would come with him, then made an effort to get to know her before getting her into bed. Just like Jacob, Peter respected her.

He stumbled back when Bella launched herself at him, wrapping her warm, naked body around his as she pulled his mouth to hers for a bruising kiss. He had no idea what was going through her mind, but this was not the reaction he expected to get when he told her about his sire.

By the time they finished another heated round of sex (where Peter's stamina was dramatically increased), they headed out to his truck to make their way back to town. Bella gave him directions to her apartment, enduring his disapproving stare with affected indifference.

"Iz, you know I hunt here when I'm in the mood to play vigilante, right? How the hell have you not been attacked yet?"

She bit her lip and looked down, needing to address two issues and not sure which to approach first. "Um, Peter? Can you do me a favor? When it's just the two of us, can you call me Bella? I just, I haven't had anyone actually know me in so long, and I'd feel closer if you used my real name."

Baffled at the change in subject, he agreed quickly and reached his arm out to pull his mate closer. "Ok, Bella. I can do that. But don't get mad if I call you Iz when we're doing the nasty." He looked down at her full pouty lips and growled, "I think Iz is sexy as hell, and eventually I'm going to fuck you in nothing but those boots."

She giggled until his hand slipped down to tease her nipple through her shirt, and she tossed her head back against his arm with a groan. He pulled away instantly, putting both hands back on the steering wheel and looking out the windshield with a cocky smirk. "Now, tell me about this shit hole you've been living in."

She crossed her arms defensively and frowned in irritation. "Look, it was the best I could get with my budget. I got screwed out of my pay at my last job, and Mark was nice enough to give me an advance when he started me at the bar. Otherwise I would have been on the street. Sorry if it's not up to your fancy vampire standards, but stripping and bartending don't exactly pay well."

As soon as the words left her mouth, his foot hit the brake and she clamped her hands over her face in a futile attempt to hide from her mate. She really did not mean to let that slip, knowing just how possessive a vampire could be. She didn't regret her life choices since she left Forks, but things were different now that she had found Peter.

The silence in the truck was deafening, as only her heartbeat and muffled breathing could be heard over the running engine. She finally worked up the nerve to peek at him from between her fingers, unsurprised to see him sitting perfectly still with his knuckles clenched tightly on the protesting steering wheel.

"I'm sorry, I could have sworn you said something about... stripping?"


	5. Chapter 5

**_AN: Y'all completely cracked me up with your reviews! Bella has quite a few supporters, and Peter did as well. What amazed me was how many of you followed the same thought process I did, so I know you'll be happy ;)_**

**_We kind of gloss over her history with Jacob in this chapter, but more details will come out in later chapters. I also have a one-shot I'll be posting separately that summarizes that time in her life, but I can't post it here yet because it's a contest entry on another site._**

* * *

_Disclaimer- I own nothing but the story line. Characters all belong to Stephenie Meyer, and I sure as hell ain't her!_

**Hey Girl- Chapter 5**

"I'm sorry, I could have sworn you said something about... stripping?"

Peter tried to keep his temper in check, wanting to give his mate a chance to explain. A part of him knew that she obviously had a life before he met her- last night- but the dominant male vampire part of him wanted to throw her over his shoulder and hide her in a cave somewhere. And grunt. The grunting was very important. Growling as well.

"Look, Peter, I didn't have many options while I was running for my life. I had no education, a fake ID, and no references. Before I found this job, and Mark, I had to do what I had to do. Stripping was easy money, and I could find work in most towns I passed through. I was a single woman, I think you can agree I have a nice body, and I needed work. That's all."

He tried to think of a rebuttal, but his mate had covered her bases pretty well. If he didn't think about the fact that countless men would have to die for seeing her naked body, he could probably get past this little hurdle. And he would make damn sure he got a lap dance out of it too.

She held his eye, not giving an inch, and she once again reaffirmed to him that she was most definitely his mate. Just like Peter, she was unapologetic about her past, she did what she had to do to survive, and she wouldn't allow Peter's chauvinistic opinions to sway her feelings. He could do nothing but respect her.

Shaking his head, he cranked the truck again and continued toward her apartment building, eyeing up potential meals on the way. "I think I'm gonna grab a bite to eat while you're packing if that's ok. Just holler if you need me." This way he'd be in the bar with her all night, making sure no drunken frat boys got too close to her.

She was impressed when he dropped her off, trusting that she would be safe in her building, and that she wouldn't run for the hills as soon as his back was turned. Once again she was reminded of the difference between this vampire and Edward Cullen. Edward would have hovered, assuming she was completely incapable of walking upstairs to the apartment she'd been living in for almost six months.

Her good mood lasted until she reached her small space, looking around at the sad collection of items that comprised all of her worldly possessions. Her clothes filled two large duffel bags, and she drifted over to the collection of oversized shirts and shorts she had carried with her when she left Forks.

Two of the shirts were flannel, and smaller- these were Charlie's. She tucked them into her bag without a second thought, knowing she would never give up the reminders of her father, no matter how long she lived.

The rest of the clothing was huge, wolf-sized, and she couldn't resist inhaling to see if they still held any hint of Jake's scent. She knew it was probably her imagination since the shirts had been worn and most had been washed since she left town, but when she closed her eyes she thought she could smell his fresh woodsy scent.

Sighing deeply, she folded the shirts and put them into grocery bags to drop at the local charity. She kept her favorite black t-shirt that she stole from Jake when they first started dating, and she pulled out her framed photos of the pack to wrap them in the soft cotton. Deciding she needed one more shirt, she pulled out his faded AC/DC tee and folded it around the bundled memories.

She was just zipping the last bag when cold arms wrapped around her waist and Peter leaned down to kiss her neck. She squeaked in surprise, and her heart took off in a fast sprint at his surprise appearance. His smooth voice filled her ear, covering her skin in goosebumps, "Sorry I scared you."

She turned in his arms, reaching up to wrap her hands around his neck. She didn't comment on his bright red eyes that bespoke his freshly fed status, just reached up and kissed his lips softly. "I didn't hear you come in- I thought I had the door locked."

He relaxed when she didn't comment on his hunt, but ducked his head a bit sheepishly at her question. "Uh, well, I kinda came in the window."

Her hands flew up in exasperation. What was it with the supernatural men in her life? Could none of them use the freaking door? She chuckled quietly at his look of confusion, but just shook her head. Let him wonder.

Glancing at the clock, she realized they needed to get going if she was going to get to work on time. She glanced at Peter to gauge his reaction and said, "I'm going to give Mark my notice tonight. I'd like to work until he finds a replacement. I feel like I owe him for all he's done for me."

Peter nodded at her words, knowing she was talking about more than just her job. They hadn't discussed the specifics of her change, though he did have a plan in mind, and he wondered when she was going to bring it up.

Leaning down, he kissed her slowly, and more gentle than she expected, before resting his forehead against hers. "Sounds good, sugar. Maybe tonight we can talk about making you a little more sturdy, huh?"

Relieved that he picked up on her train of thought, she nodded in agreement. With another brief kiss, Peter lifted her bags and carried them to his truck, leaving her to close the apartment.

Her gaze lingered on the grocery bag of Jake's clothing, and she panicked briefly at the thought of giving them away. She knew it wasn't fair to Peter for her to hold on to Jake's things, but at the same time it seemed disrespectful to basically throw away the last pieces of the man who died for her.

As she stared out the window, an idea came to her and she knew what she would do. She had carefully avoided contact with the wolf pack since she left, but she knew they had to wonder where she was and how she was doing. They did love her, after all.

She picked up the bag and headed downstairs to meet Peter, hoping he would approve of her plan. She wanted to box the clothes up and mail them back to La Push, along with a letter letting Sam know about her mate and what Peter had planned for Victoria. Or she would, once she knew what his plan was.

Bella's shift was busy, but relatively uneventful. Mark shot Peter suspicious looks all night, but the vampire appeared unaffected by the man's attention as he held his stool at the bar and watched his mate mix drinks and serve her customers.

Peter stiffened each time a man's hand reached for her, or lingered too close in her personal space. But Bella shot him down with a glare each time he made to move from his perch, and he counted down the minutes until he could carry her home and stake his claim all over again.

No one was killed, and they were finally in the truck headed back to Peter's house a little before midnight. Bella was tucked close to his side and she began to drift off as the truck rocked her gently and the radio played quietly in the background. He planned to wake her up thoroughly when they got home, so he just held her and let her doze.

When Bella woke in the bed this time, it was due to the feeling of Peter's cold hands working her clothes off as he traced her skin with his lips and fingers. Neither said a word as they kissed slowly, and he led her to the shower where they proceeded to drain the hot water heater making sure they were clean in a thoroughly dirty way.

Almost an hour later she was curled up on his chest, panting softly, when he finally brought up his idea for her change. "I've been thinking about it, and I'd like to have you someplace secure while you're changing and a newborn," he said. "I'm assuming you don't want to track down Jasper and the Cullens, so I thought I'd take you back to Texas."

Her smile let him know what she thought of the idea, but she had a few concerns. "I'm not sure how you feel about this, but I don't think I can hunt humans with you, Peter. I need to tell you a little more about Jacob, and then I think you'll understand where I'm coming from."

He laid there stiffly as she explained her relationship with the wolf pack- a relationship that began when Sam Uley found her half-frozen in the forest. Edward's name moved up a few notches on Peter's hit list when he heard that.

She told him how the pack took her in, and how Jacob was her best friend, then her lover. From what she told him, he could tell the boy worshipped his mate, but he couldn't really hold that against him.

He held her tighter when she described her meeting with Laurent, and how the wolves destroyed him easily. She cried when she talked about newborn vampires that had terrorized Seattle and claimed the life of one of their wolves when Victoria brought them in as a distraction.

It took her several tries, but she finally got through the story that sent her running. Peter's hands tightened in anger when she described the way Victoria brutally tortured her father, and how her wolf was viciously crushed and bitten while trying to defend him. He understood her devotion to the boy, and could appreciate the loyalty she felt to the wolves' cause.

"If you want to hunt animals I'll do my best to help you. We might have to change locations, because Houston isn't really conducive to the vegetarian way of life, but we'll work something out," Peter assured her, trying to think of the best place to raise a newborn that didn't want to hunt humans.

He would definitely need help, since he wouldn't be able to take her into town when he was hunting for himself, and he needed someone to stay with her until she had her thirst under control. It would take six months at the very least, though up to a year or more was a better estimation.

She pulled back from hugging him when he asked his next question, "So, I'm going out on a limb here, but I don't think you want me to contact the Cullens, right?"

Bella's eyes hardened in anger and she shook her head firmly. "No. Alice has had plenty of opportunities to see that I needed help, and they obviously didn't care enough about me to do anything about it. I know you miss Jasper and all, but I'm not sure what I would do if I saw them after my change. All the good memories I had were completely overshadowed by Victoria. Do you have another plan?"

Peter nodded, pulling her close and tucking her head under his chin. "Yeah, I do. I'll call up some of my army buddies and work out a good location where you will be safe and have room for your hunting needs. You'll have your pick of wildlife, but we'll have to keep an eye out for humans- they like to hunt those woods as well."

She cleared her throat and idly traced the scars littering his chest, causing his eyes to roll back in pleasure. "And Victoria? How will we find her?"

It took a few moments for Peter to recover the power of speech, but he finally stopped her hand and looked down at her seriously. "I'm going to call in every favor I'm owed. I know a tracker if we can get something with her scent- you might need to contact your wolf friends for that one. Then we'll find her and you can do with her what you like. Tear her to pieces, use her head as a doorstop, whatever you want to do. I'm at your service."

Bella looked at him in awe, seeing that he was completely serious. She was sure he would do pretty much whatever she asked of him, and the fact that he was willing to give her a part in Victoria's demise was not something she would take lightly. Her mate understood the need for vengeance, and she was grateful he wouldn't make her just sit back and watch.

After she drifted off to sleep, Peter pulled out his laptop and began to search out real estate. He thought about which vampires he trusted, and which areas would suit his mate's needs the best. Once he had it narrowed down to a few potential properties he set the computer aside and pulled his little mate closer into his arms.

He wasn't completely sure how he felt about Bella wanting to hunt animals. On one hand, he could understand, given her relationship with those wolves. She had also obviously been influenced by her time with the Cullens, and Peter knew how persuasive Carlisle could be when he was selling his cause. He'd certainly tried to sell Peter and Char on it when they came to visit Jasper.

Over the next few days they settled into a comfortable routine. They spent the days getting to know each other better, and the evenings at the bar where Bella- or Iz- worked, and Peter stood guard. Two days later he finally got his lap dance, immediately followed by his fantasy of having her sexy boots wrapped around his waist as he fucked her against the bedroom wall.

They made an offer on a house in Texas, with the approval of the neighboring coven leaders. Peter explained that his friends didn't like to be called warlords, though that was very much what they still were. The only difference was the fact that they fought to defend their territories, but no longer sought to further their boundaries.

Peter knew his presence would likely bring challengers close once word got around, and while he could easily take care of himself, it would make him feel better if there was someone else around to help protect his mate in the event of a skirmish.

He brought up Jasper several times, but Bella consistently shot him down, reminding him how his sire had so easily abandoned him when Charlotte was killed, and also that the Cullens clearly had no use for her as well. "You can't tell me that Alice hasn't seen us together, and Edward picked it out of her head. They clearly don't consider us any of their concern."

Three days before they were set to leave, Bella was busy training the new bartender Mark had found. Lacey was blonde, bouncy, and already winning over the regular customers. Bella suppressed a smile at how completely not-Bella she was.

Peter was out hunting and Bella didn't expect to see him until later, so she was surprised to feel a cold hand on her arm as she walked past the door headed back to the bar. She turned with a smile to greet her mate, only to see a vampire with brown hair who was several inches taller than Peter.

His red eyes caught her attention immediately, and she felt a slight wave of déjà vu when she thought back to the night Peter walked into her life. This vampire was more disheveled than her mate, with shaggy hair that came down to his shoulders, and a light scruffy beard.

He grinned happily and she found herself relaxing slightly, despite her fear. The expression was just so out of place given his rough, nomadic appearance. She stiffened slightly when he leaned closer and sniffed the air around her quite deliberately.

She didn't know what to think when the tall vampire held his hand out with a slight bow and introduced himself, "Hello there, little lady. I'm looking for Peter, and I believe I've found the right place. My name's Garrett."


	6. Chapter 6

**_AN: Yes, I love my Garrett. What can I say? Shameless plug- if you love Garrett too, go read my story Independence Day- you'll really love him there ;) Then go vote for it in the fandomchoiceawards_**

**_This chapter is super rough, so I apologize for any mistakes. I just wanted to get this out to y'all before Christmas ;)_**

**_update- I added a link on my profile for my story "Without You"- it's a prequel for this story so it's a Jacob/Bella fic and it won 2nd place in the Paws and Art contest. Go check it out if you want to read more about their back story._**

* * *

_Disclaimer- I own nothing but the story line. Characters all belong to Stephenie Meyer, and I sure as hell ain't her!_

**Hey Girl- Chapter 6**

_She didn't know what to think when the tall vampire held his hand out with a slight bow and introduced himself, "Hello there, little lady. I'm looking for Peter, and I believe I've found the right place. My name's Garrett."_

Before Bella could find words to answer him, the bell above the door jingled loudly, and her mate slipped in behind her. He wrapped his arms around her possessively, leaning over to kiss the side of her neck, never losing eye contact with the vampire in front of him.

"Evenin' Gar. Wasn't expecting company, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see you," Peter's voice was low and his tone gave no indication of his response to Garrett's presence. Bella felt herself tense as she awaited the verdict.

"Yep, I stopped in Houston to see you but you were long gone. Talked to some of our friends in Dallas and they told me what you had going on, so I thought I'd come offer my services," Garrett's grin hadn't dropped at all, and his posture was relaxed and open.

Peter shook his head in exasperation. "You know, it takes a special kind of stupid to just waltz into a vampire's marked territory without announcing yourself."

Bella giggled when Garrett put a hand to his chest in mock outrage. "Why, Peter! I was in the middle of announcing myself when you interrupted me. I believe your lovely little mate here was just about to tell me her name!"

Garrett looked at the human girl expectantly, and she had to suppress another giggle at his friendly smile. Peter wrapped his other arm around the front of her body, resting his hand on the opposite hip in a clear proprietary gesture as he introduced his mate, "Garrett, this is Bella. Bella, this ancient dick-head is a friend of mine. Don't take anything he says seriously."

All three heads turned when a glass was dropped behind the bar and Lacey's high-pitched voice let out a startled squeal. "Iz! I made a mess! Can you help me?"

Bella ducked away with an apologetic glance at the two vampires, shaking her head at the new girl's dramatics.

Peter jabbed an elbow in Garrett's ribs when the nomad's eyes followed his mate up to the bar, but the patriot wasn't the least bit apologetic when he turned to grin at Peter. "Bella, huh? So who's Iz?"

Slightly irritated by Garrett's unannounced arrival, Peter still knew he was probably the best answer to their problem. There weren't many vampires he would trust around his mate, and Garrett was at the top of that very small list. It was going to be annoying having him around constantly, though.

"Iz _is_ Bella. It's the name she goes by here- the one that matches her ID. Make sure that's what you call her when we're here, ok?" Peter gave him a serious look until the other vampire nodded his assent.

Jerking his head toward a corner booth, Peter led his friend to a seat where he could still keep his eye on his mate. Garrett chuckled as he folded his long legs under the table, waving off the waitress who was still trying to work up the nerve to approach them. "Damn, Peter. You've got it bad!"

Peter sighed in defeat, knowing he was in for endless teasing, but unable to regret it in the least. "Yeah, but she's definitely worth it."

Garrett nodded appreciatively, earning himself a kick in the shin from the younger vampire, but he just waved it off with a laugh. "Come on, Pete. I'm just looking. You know I have more honor than that."

He turned his head back toward his friend and gave him an appraising look. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, more serious, "I'm glad to see you happy again, Pete. I know these past years have been hard for you. I can tell your girl's good for you- you deserve it, my friend."

Behind the bar, Izzy's boss was eyeing Peter's new friend with nothing less than suspicion. He knew she didn't want to hear it, but he was worried about his little bartender. When she showed up in response to his help wanted sign this past summer, flat broke and obviously running from her past, Mark took her in and gave her a chance.

She hadn't disappointed- proving to be a quick learner, and very popular with the customers. She drew people to her, charming them effortlessly, and completely unaware.

Iz had been jumpy the first few months she worked there, but slowly she began to relax a bit more, though she was still hyper-aware of her surroundings and she scanned each new customer with a suspicious eye.

Mark had seen the instant change in izzy's demeanor when she showed up with that pale cowboy, and he assumed he was someone from her past that she didn't mind finding her. He'd been in every night she worked, trying to appear casual as he watched her like a hawk. It wasn't hard to see his angle- he was clearly guarding her.

She'd been aware of him wherever she was, and Mark had caught her shooting the guy a glare whenever he started to rise up and interfere with Izzy's work. She could clearly handle him, and that was the only reason Mark was letting her go without a fight. He just wanted her safe and happy.

"Well, Iz, I'm gonna get your last check ready, and you can go ahead and cut out early. Lacey can handle the last few stragglers before closing."

Bella jumped and turned to look at him in shock. "But it's only 9! I can stay longer if you need me. I don't want to flake on my last day, Mark!"

He shook his head and gave her a sad smile, "Iz, do you even remember what today is? I'm closing at 10- it's Christmas Eve, girl."

Peter's head jerked up and Bella turned to meet his equally surprised gaze. They both let the date slip their minds, having missed holidays for the past few years. Their little interaction did not go unnoticed by observant bar owner, but he shook off his feelings of unease as he pulled Bella toward the back room.

In less than five minutes, another chapter of her life was closed. She hung her apron on the hook, cleaned out her locker, and tucked her last paycheck into Mark's top drawer with a note thanking him for all he'd done for her. She would be forever grateful to the man who inadvertently led her to Peter.

Garrett was chuckling quietly as he accompanied them from the bar. Peter alternated between concerned glances at his rather quiet mate, and irritated glares toward Garrett.

When they all slid into the truck, Bella in the middle tucked firmly against Peter's side, her mate finally exploded in exasperation. "What is so damn funny, Gar? Why the hell have you been laughing since we left?"

Bella patted Peter's leg in an effort to calm him, while offering a hesitant smile to the tall vampire sitting next to her. Garrett's answering smile was nearly blinding, and he gave her a small nod of acknowledgement as he spoke, "Well, I just find it humorous that the two of you, who apparently live fairly immersed in human culture, could have possibly forgotten the largest commercial holiday in our great nation!"

His words were met with bowed heads and two deep sighs. Bella's last Christmas had been three years earlier, with the pack. She had helped Emily with the baking, and dutifully accepted kisses from Sam and Paul under the mistletoe- of course Sam's was much more chaste than Paul's. She hadn't kissed Jacob until New Year's Eve- Paul's bragging had sent him over the edge and bolstered his confidence.

On the road the next year, she had tearfully noticed the decorations and cheerful shoppers going about their day-to-day life. Her grief was too fresh, and her life too solitary to even consider celebrating what was once her favorite holiday.

Peter had never acknowledged human holidays while he was in the war, and it was only due to Charlotte's influence that they even owned Christmas lights. She insisted that the way their human lives had ended shouldn't put a damper on the rest of their eternity. Peter just hadn't felt very cheery since she died.

Garrett sobered at the matching haunted expressions they wore, and decided to change the subject. "So, what are our plans now? Are we heading to Texas? It's a long drive you know."

Bella giggled and nudged Peter. "He's going to talk the whole way, isn't he? I'm re-thinking that call to Jasper. He was pretty quiet if I remember right."

Peter snorted at Garrett's offended look, "Hey! I'm a lot more fun than that stuffy old major. I know a lot more too. You know I fought for this nation's independence from the oppression of England. He fought to tear it apart- wait! How do you know the Major? Do you know Carlisle?"

Bella's eyes narrowed at the question. Peter hadn't had time to tell her much about Garrett, but from their body language she assumed he was coming with them to Texas. That might be changing if his loyalties were tied to the golden-eyed patriarch. "Yes, I know all the Cullens," she sneered as she spat the name out like it tasted bad.

Garrett and Peter exchanged a look over her head; Garrett was accustomed to hearing bad things about his oldest friend, Carlisle, but those comments and derision usually came from vampires who looked down on their lifestyle. Not young human girls who had absolutely no business even knowing who- or what- the Cullens were. "Um, I think I might be missing something here, little one. Would you mind explaining?"

Peter pulled her closer as she shared her history with Garrett in a detached, clinical tone. The nomad's eyes darkened steadily as she showed him her bite and explained how she got it, as well as Carlisle coaching Edward through the venom removal process. He looked to Peter for permission before running his finger gently over the raised bite, cringing at the sight and feel of such a blemish on one so young and fragile.

Worried that he might be stepping over a line, Garrett looked down at Bella's tight, angry eyes and asked softly, "And who is Jake?"

She pulled her wrist back from his gentle touch and held it close to her heart as she buried her face in Peter's shirt. He looked over at his friend and shook his head, "You'll do better to wait until we're home. I'll tell you if she can't, but you're gonna need some space to get angry when you hear it all."

The next few minutes passed in silence, until Bella sat up and wiped her tears away. "Ok, enough about that. Apparently it's Christmas Eve and we need to celebrate. Go find me a candy cane!"

Peter dropped a kiss to the top of her head and turned his attention to the city around them. "Ok, the lady wants candy, we'll find some candy." They drove around until they found a drugstore still open, and they all trooped inside.

Garrett was instantly on the prowl. He generally avoided stores and rarely used money for anything, so when he ventured into human company he was insatiably curious.

Peter and Bella walked through the nearly-bare Christmas aisles, searching for the ever-elusive candy cane. He didn't comment as she scooped up various bags of chocolate, and only rolled his eyes when she reached up to stick a Santa hat on his head.

He was instantly on guard when she stopped still in the middle of the aisle, staring straight ahead at a collection of cheap Christmas tree ornaments. Her eyes filled with tears, but her expression was hopeful when she turned to face him, handing him a small silver ball.

"Look- it says 'Our First Christmas'! Can we get it, Peter? Please?" she turned those big brown eyes on him and he was a goner.

Peter leaned over and kissed her gently, his spirit lifting with her newfound joy. He'd go out and buy a damn Santa suit if it would make his girl happy- anything to see that smile.

"Yeah, Iz. We'll get it. It's the first of many, and I'm happy to have something to mark it."

"Hey, Bella!" Garrett's voice carried across the empty store, and they turned to see him striding toward them, waving something over his head triumphantly. "Look what I found!"

Bella's mouth dropped open in shock as he handed her the enormous candy stick. It was more than a foot long, and wide enough that she knew she would never get her mouth around it- despite the practice she'd had lately with Peter.

Peter laughed loudly as he clapped his friend on the back, causing the cashier at the front to shiver in fear. "I think she said a candy _cane_- not a candy tree trunk."

Bella stepped up and grabbed the stick from his hand, pointing it toward her mate like a sword. "No, I love it! All the packages they have here are broken, and a broken candy cane just doesn't taste as good. This one is sturdy- I don't think it will break easily."

Garrett snorted as Peter raised his hands in surrender to his tiny human mate, but his smile drooped when Bella raised up to place a Santa hat over his unruly hair. "Thanks, Garrett! And Merry Christmas to you too!"

With their purchases in hand, they headed back to the truck and made their way home. Garrett took Peter's not-so-subtle hint and headed inside to make use of the shower after months on the road without one.

Bella pulled Peter into the bedroom, where she proceeded to show him just how much she liked him in the Santa hat- and nothing else. They would start their new life tomorrow, making their way to Texas, but there was peace in their little house for tonight.

* * *

_**AN: **Now we have a timeline, for those who were curious. It's December after Bella's 21st birthday- just over 3 years since the Cullens left. _


	7. Chapter 7

**_AN: Without You is now posted on ff so go check it out if you haven't read it yet. It's Bella's history with Jake before this story, so obviously it's not a HEA._**

**_Sorry for the delay, but I was actually writing this chapter and the next one, so you won't have to wait as long for it. Happy New Year! Oh, and read the disclaimer on this chapter and the next..._**

* * *

_Disclaimer- I own nothing but the story line. Twilight characters all belong to Stephenie Meyer, and I sure as hell ain't her!  
Oh, and Jace and Clary belong to Cassandra Clare, but Jamie Campbell Bower is all mine. I stole his sexy British accent and turned him into a white trash vampire ;)_

**Hey Girl- Chapter 7**

Bella jumped, startled, when Peter tapped the horn twice, and Garrett laughed loudly at her human reflexes. "Welcome to Texas!" Peter said, echoing the sentiment of the large painted sign off the highway.

She looked around at the familiar barren landscape, trying to see a difference as they crossed into the "promised land," as Peter had called it. Other than a slight change in the road surface she couldn't tell a difference. "Um, it looks like Arizona... and New Mexico..."

Peter scowled as Garrett laughed again and leaned over to whisper, "Don't worry- it looks a lot like Mexico too. It won't change much until we get closer to San Antonio- I told you this was a long drive."

Shrugging her shoulders, she settled back against Peter's shoulder, falling back to sleep easily as the miles passed quickly under their tires. "We stopping in El Paso to see Diego?" Garrett asked quietly, knowing their route would take them right through the occupied city.

Peter shook his head and smirked a bit at the question. Garrett might be able to travel at will without regards to boundaries, but Peter was a stickler for customs and always let a vampire know when he would be passing through their territory.

"No, I called him and he has a three-month-old so it's not a good idea for us to stop. We don't need to put Bella at risk and he was terrified about what I would do if something happened to my mate in his city," Peter laughed. "He'll probably be holding his breath until we're across the state.

Garrett nodded in understanding. "And everyone else is meeting us in Houston?"

"Yep," Peter's smile was genuine this time as he leaned over to rest his cheek on his sleeping mate's hair. "We've got us a regular vampire convention gracing my fair city. Can't wait to see what kind of trouble we can get into."

Garrett settled his gaze on the scenery flashing quickly by the windows outside. The truck was moving quickly by human standards- raising the speed limit was one of the best things Texas could have done for vampires- but it was still slow to the supernatural beings inside.

Garrett was an easy-going guy, getting along with pretty much everyone he met. He had a long and varied history- beginning in the American revolution, then the vampire wars of the south, before he settled into his current nomadic lifestyle.

He wasn't gifted in the sense that the Major and Edward Cullen were, but he had a very magnetic personality and could be fairly persuasive when he put his mind to it. That, along with his strong fighting skills, made him either a powerful ally or a formidable opponent. Most vampires tried to stay on his good side, giving him free passage through their lands, and allowing him to hunt when he needed to.

Garrett's thoughts had been troubled since finding out about Bella's past. He liked Bella- not just because she was Peter's mate- but because she was an interesting person. She was fierce, in a very kitten-like way, and she was the only human on earth who could tame supernatural creatures the way she had.

Peter wasn't exactly a caring or sympathetic person before he met Bella. Charlotte had softened him somewhat, but after her death he was hard as nails. He ran through life with his no-bullshit manner of approaching things, and it had bothered Garrett somewhat that his friend wasn't truly living- he was merely existing.

Everything was different since he and Bella found one another. Bella had her own share of heartache that had toughened her frail human skin. Her heart had been broken twice in such a short period of time that she had forced herself to remain aloof, cut off from her fellow humans as she struggled to survive the supernatural world she had been so callously thrust into.

Garrett had nearly destroyed the house when she showed him her pictures of Jacob and explained how the poor boy had died. He was furious that the Cullens had left Bella in such a mess, and that they not only left a vindictive enemy alive, but they failed to assist the wolves- a group they had formed a treaty with. They left the pack of young boys to do the vampires' work. Garrett simply couldn't make sense of that.

He knew that the next time he saw his old friend Carlisle, he would have some words for the vegetarian- not to mention the Major! It was bad enough that Jasper had left Peter to fend for himself after the loss of his companion, but there was no way his little seer didn't know who Bella truly belonged with. She could have prevented every ounce of heartache that these two had been through if she had only told them.

Peter could tell when his friend just needed time to think, as he was accustomed to solitary life as well. He left Garrett to his thoughts as they drove across the state, stopping twice for Bella to eat and stretch her legs. She feigned interest in the scenery, but Peter knew she wouldn't really be impressed until they got closer to their new home. First they had to stop in Houston.

It was early morning, just before dawn when they finally pulled into the suburbs around the city. Bella woke slowly, shocked beyond belief when Peter pulled into a rather large house in a gated community. "Where are we?"

Peter smiled as he led her from the truck and opened the door, ushering her and Garrett inside. "We're in Katy. This is my house, though as you can see by the neighborhood it's not very appropriate for a newborn. I thought we could rest here today and clean up before our meeting tonight."

He directed Garrett to the far end of the house, telling him he had to bathe again, despite his recent shower in Arizona. Garrett grumbled the whole way, but Peter couldn't stand to bring another male to this meeting that was covered so heavily in his mate's luscious scent. The others might get the wrong idea about things, and the last thing he needed was a fight with his allies.

Peter scooped Bella into his arms and carried her upstairs at vampire speed- her delighted giggles trailing after them. She let out a gasp of surprise at the luxurious walk-in shower, much larger than the house they left behind in Phoenix.

"Why did you buy this house, Peter? It's rather large for just one person..." she asked, arching her eyebrow in question. She knew this wasn't a home he had shared with Charlotte, since Texas had been under Maria's control until after her death. She also knew her mate had kept to himself for the past ten years, so the oversized house that screamed luxury had her thoroughly confused.

He smiled as he turned on the water and began stripping her clothes slowly, following each piece with his lips and tongue. She was a whimpering mess of desire once he stepped back and reached for his belt.

"Oh, I just used some of Maria's money and bought it. It was a foreclosure that needed a lot of work- and I needed a hobby. I've spent the past few years fixing it up, and now that you're here I'll probably put it up for sale unless you think you'll be attached to it," he said, his voice giving no indication of his own arousal. If it wasn't for the sight of his erection straining against the fabric of his underwear, she would think he was sitting calmly discussing the weather with an old acquaintance.

Fed up with his toying, she stepped forward and reached down to wrap her hand around his dick, pulling him toward the shower. When she dropped to her knees on the cold tiles, he watched her through black, hooded eyes.

She returned his teasing, kissing him from hipbone to hipbone before snaking her tongue out to trace gently along his length, then darting it out to catch the shiny drop of venom oozing from its tip. She giggled and he growled as she finally took him in her mouth, and he used every ounce of self-control he had not to thrust his hips.

He didn't last very long before he pulled her up to kiss her fiercely, his mating instincts on high alert with the upcoming meeting. He needed to fill her with his scent, and cover her in it, and the shower was not the place to do that.

They washed quickly, then Peter carried her into the large master bedroom, eternally grateful that he had the same bed in this house that she loved so much in Phoenix. He had a feeling he better order several back-ups for her newborn year; once he could really let go and fuck her, they would probably destroy beds quite quickly.

Once he had her laid out before him, he began to trace every inch of her skin with his tongue. Having lived with a wolf, she understood the instinct and sat patiently through his thorough ministrations. They were both aching with need when he finally laid back and lifted her to ride him, enjoying the view when she planted her hands on his chest and writhed sinuously above him.

Bella took a short nap while Peter reapplied his scent everywhere it wasn't quite strong enough for his liking. He wanted no doubt as to who she belonged to tonight, as there were several unmated vampires joining them.

She dressed nervously as he told her about his friends. The rag-tag group he'd pulled together from Maria's ranks, and a few that came over from Arizona and New Mexico, were all indebted to Peter for freeing them from their former lives and working out a peace agreement with their neighbors. He knew none of them would cross him, but throwing a human into the mix was definitely an unknown.

"The only one I'm worried about is Jace. He's really the one I want to train you in fighting once you're turned, but he's extremely prejudiced and has no trouble sharing his bigoted views," Peter explained. "I'm hoping that his mate, Clary, can keep him in check while you're human, but I wouldn't be surprised if the little punk runs his mouth."

They joined Garrett in the living room and the nomad added his two cents about the vampires they would be meeting. "Clary's a gem- I swear she's part angel- but I don't know what powers on earth got her stuck with that greasy little inbreed," Bella giggled at his statement but Garrett continued on. "I'm serious! The kid is like the vampire godfather of trailer trash."

"Ok, ok. That's enough. I'm sure he'll show his true colors when I introduce you. Now let me tell you about the rest." They sat quietly, with Garrett interjecting a word or two as Peter told her about Amber (Garrett's fuck-buddy from Shreveport), and Chris, whose small coven held the heart of the state from Austin to San Antonio.

Bella was relieved that only the coven heads were coming, along with their mates, so she wouldn't be exposed to a huge group of strange vampires right away. She was a bit worried to meet Chris, who Garrett described as being larger than Emmett, with Maria's requisite shoulder-length blonde hair. She had to give it to Jasper's sire- she was nothing if not consistent.

Peter had an odd look on his face when he talked about Jace, and Bella was almost certain he was hiding something, but she had no idea what that could be. Deciding that he would tell her when he felt like he needed to, she allowed her mate to lead her out to the truck, laughing when he sent Garrett to sit in the back so he wouldn't be pressed against her for the drive into the city.

They pulled into the parking lot of a run-down bar that looked eerily similar to the Bulls Eye they left behind in Phoenix. Bella let out a giggle when she saw the name- Sharp Shooters. Peter just looked at her like she was crazy until he finally made the connection. "What? I have very particular tastes. And just so you know, this whole neighborhood is protected so you don't have to save any humans you see, ok?"

Bella looked at him in question until he sighed and continued, "My human home was just down the street here. Of course it looks nothing like it did then, but I can't help but think there are people around who could be my distant relatives. So I don't hunt here. Ever."

He was surprised when she leaned up to kiss him fiercely, and he barely caught her when she practically climbed up his body to wrap her legs around his waist. Before he could ask her what she was doing, they were interrupted by a low whistle and a loud voice with a nasally twang.

"Hey, Big Daddy Pete! Is this my new momma?" Bella watched in shock as Peter quickly dropped her to her feet, leaving Garrett to steady her fall, and turned to embrace the vampire who had spoken.

He pulled back with a look of unmistakable fondness on his face, and grinned as he ran his knuckles across the top of the boy's head. "One of these days, boy... You have to stop sneaking up on me! And how many times do I have to say it- I ain't your daddy, boy!"

Bella glanced at Garrett who was just shaking his head, then back at the boy who could only be Jace. He looked nothing like any vampire she'd ever seen before. He was wearing stained and torn Carhartt overalls and a filthy white undershirt. His pants were tucked into work boots that looked like they had been worn for the past twenty years without ever once being cleaned, and Bella gagged a bit when she spotted several streaks of dried blood on both his clothing and shoes.

His dirty blonde hair was, well... dirty. It hung in greasy strands beneath a Texas Rangers baseball cap that may have been white at one time. His face was young, probably sixteen or seventeen at the time of his change, but what stood out the most was the dark ink that decorated his pale white skin.

He had tattoos swirling in random patterns over his arms and between the scars on his neck. Like her own, the scars worked with the ink to form patterns and designs of beauty that had her instantly mesmerized. She didn't realize she was staring until she was nudged from the side and turned her head to meet another unfamiliar set of red eyes.

"Hey there, I'm Clarissa, but you can call me Clary. You must be Bella," the girl said, holding out her dainty hand for Bella to shake. "Jace and Peter will probably be a while- they tend to lose focus when they're talking to each other."

Bella wouldn't call what she was seeing "talking" exactly- Peter currently had Jace in a headlock, his bicep bulging around the boy's slender neck. His face was relaxed and happy, so Bella wasn't worried too much. She turned her attention to the object of his amusement.

There was something about the boy's face that seemed familiar in a way, though she was absolutely certain she had never seen him before. He was lean and wiry, and quite a bit shorter than her mate. He was thin to the point of emaciation, so his human life must have been quite rough before he was changed.

When Clary cleared her throat, Bella realized she'd been staring at the two of them and ignoring her other companions. She turned back to the girl with a sheepish smile, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. Yes, I'm Bella. It's very nice to meet you."

Garrett stayed close as the girls chatted amicably. Clary had only been a vampire for just over six years, so she found it easy to converse with the human girl. Bella found herself drawn to the likable young vampire, and she forced down her inherent mistrust that stemmed from her failed relationship with Alice Cullen.

Peter finally pushed Jace away and turned back to his temporarily forgotten mate. Bella thought if he could blush he would have been, judging by his look of chagrin. "I'm sorry, Iz. I didn't mean to get caught up with this punk, but it's been a while. I see you met Clary, now here is her much uglier mate, Jace. Jace, this is my Bella."

She jumped a bit when he reached for her hand, unsure of how Peter would react. He nodded at her so she accepted the boy's handshake cautiously. "It's a pleasure to meet ya, ma'am. Garrett, didn't really expect to see you again this soon, but this here is Pete's town, so I'll ignore ya for now," he sneered at the nomad, still gently squeezing Bella's hand.

Clary pinched his waist, drawing giggles from Bella when he visibly flinched, and tugged his head down to whisper furiously in his ear. His shoulders drooped and Peter snickered at whatever was said, but just shook his head at Bella's questioning look.

"Ok, ok, we have plenty of time for fightin' later. Let's go in and see where the others are, alright?"

* * *

**_AN: _**_Ok! I'm giving you homework before the next chapter. Go read Whirlwind by **BetterinTexas** if you haven't read it yet. If you don't have time, then read his awesome Christmas one-shot "A Ty and Bella Christmas." That's all I'm saying for now. Just read them..._


	8. Chapter 8

**_AN (READ THIS- I had some help with this chapter!): _**_This chapter is the result of two simple words left on a review a few chapters back. My buddy Jason (BetterinTexas) wanted to know, "Where's Ty?" In doing so, he unknowingly filled a plot gap for me, and this chapter is what came about. Now, Ty wanted me to let you know that Jason does not own him in any shape, form, or fashion because Ty is sensitive about that shit, but as his friend he agreed to come visit my story since we were in his hometown anyway. Jason helped me out with Ty's dialog because I begged him to- and if you've read our stuff, I'm pretty sure you can pick out what's mine and what's his ;)_

_Give it up for Ty and Jason! Seriously, the man is a genius and if you haven't read his stories I am assuming you live under a rock somewhere ;) Anyway, enjoy! And thanks for sharing your talent, buddy! Love ya!_

_Oh, and read the disclaimer for the other new people as well ;) And see, you never know what your review may inspire, so don't hold back!_

* * *

_Disclaimer- This chapter is chock full of people I don't own! In addition to the Twilight characters, and Jace and Clary from The Mortal Instruments, we also have Chris Hemsworth (in Thor persona) and his lovely wife Elsa. I turned them both. Amber is a real person I know who lives in Shreveport- I just think she'd make a gorgeous vamp ;)_

* * *

**Hey Girl- Chapter 8**

Bella was tucked tightly against Peter's side as he led the way into the dingy bar. It took her eyes several moments to adjust to the dim light, but she was a bit surprised by how spacious the interior was. A long bar lined the left wall, and tables dotted the remaining three sides of a spacious dance floor. Though it was relatively early- only ten o'clock- the floor was already filled with writhing couples.

She felt drawn to the movement in a way she hadn't been in months. She knew tonight was about business for Peter, but she planned to have her mate on the dance floor before too long. As if she read her mind, Clary glanced over at her and winked conspiratorially.

Peter was on full alert as he scanned the crowd. He knew the employees by name, as he was actually the owner, and he nodded at them in turn. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he turned his attention to the remaining vampires waiting at their designated table.

Chris was his oldest friend, turned only a few years after he was, though Maria was actually his sire. He was the same height as Peter at 6'3", but Chris outweighed him by at least 100 pounds of pure muscle. He was a skilled tracker, nearly as good at the Volturi's Demetri, and Maria had kept him as a closely guarded secret for years.

Peter was actually surprised when the big vampire turned on his sire, but apparently being large and gifted didn't exempt him from Maria's cruel tortures. He was a useful ally to Peter, and currently led the largest coven in Texas, with five in all.

Chris's mate, Elsa, was a beautiful vampire. Standing a full foot shorter than him, she still projected an air of dignity and poise reflective of her days as a southern belle. She originally lived in Louisiana, but came to Texas when Peter cleaned house, and stayed when she found her mate in the gentle giant.

The last vampire at the table was immediately greeted by Garrett with a relatively inappropriate kiss/grope/humping session that had Bella's mouth hanging open in shock. Peter cleared his throat as the remaining couples laughed quietly. "Gar? If you're through sucking her face off, can you introduce Amber?"

Garrett pulled back with a proud smile that wasn't the least bit apologetic, and put his arm around the curvy brunette beside him. "Miss Bella, I'd like you introduce you to my very good friend, Amber. She controls northwest Louisiana and she'll be our closest neighbor over in Shreveport. Amber, this is Peter's mate, Bella Swan."

The girl pushed her way over to kiss Bella on the cheek. "It's so nice to meet you, dear. I'm glad Peter found you- he deserves to find peace with the one he loves."

Bella let out a bitter laugh, "Yeah, well, we're not off to the most peaceful start, as I'm sure he'll tell you all. I come pre-loaded with all kinds of drama and a vindictive bitch wanting to kill me as well. Peace is probably the last thing I bring to Peter."

Peter stepped up behind her and wrapped her in his arms, "Sugar, you do bring me peace, and you know it. You give my life meaning, and you have brought me so much joy. I love you, Iz."

Around the table, the group of war-hardened veterans all smiled fondly at their display. None of them appeared bothered by the fact that Bella was human, and all of them instantly felt protective over the fiery girl that was the Captain's mate. They owed Peter their current way of life, and they would do anything to protect his.

After a few minutes of catching up, the group settled around the table with their decorative shot glasses and bottles of beer. Bella eyed their drinks hungrily and set about lowering the levels in each drink around her. By the time Peter was well into the planning discussions, she was well on her way to being completely toasted.

"Hey, Clary. You're a pretty little thing, you know? Like a little red-headed, red-eyed angel," she slurred, much to everyone's amusement. "You wanna dance with me, little angel?"

Jace and Peter exchanged a look, and Peter finally nodded his agreement. He watched his mate dance her way out on the floor, tugging the petite vampire behind her and drawing every eye their way. "We'll go down and keep an eye on her, Pete," Amber rose from her spot on Garrett's knee and waited for Elsa to extricate herself from her mate's lap as well.

The men were mesmerized by Bella's sinuous dancing, and there was soon quite an audience spread out around the girls. Bella moved between Clary and Elsa like they were stripper poles, and turned to grind against Amber when the curvier vampire moved closer to the group.

Garrett groaned as he reached down to adjust himself, "Damn, Pete. That girl of yours is full of surprises. I didn't know little bit could move like that!"

Peter growled as the other men nodded their agreement, and they all snapped their eyes back to him sheepishly. He brought the topic back to their battle plans, "Ok, so we're waiting on the package from the wolves, and as soon as we have it I'll get the scent to you, Chris. Then we'll lure her to El Paso and let Bella take her out."

The men continued their discussion, considering options and contingencies according to where Chris would find her and if she would have company. They knew from Bella that she had created vampires before, so it wouldn't surprise them if she did it again.

"Uh, Pete?" Jace's eyes were narrowed, glaring at a spot on the dance floor. "There's a very large, very black man watching your mate. Want me to take care of it?"

Peter stared down the younger boy, reminding him where his place was here. Here he wasn't the leader of his coven; here he answered directly to his superior. "No, Jace. I'll take care of it."

The men reached the dance floor just as Bella turned and met the eyes of the man in question. "Shorty? Is that you girl? What the fuck you doin' here?"

Bella swayed a bit on her feet as her eyes widened in shocked recognition. "Ty? Is that you? Hey boo! I live here with my man now. He's a sexy beast and he's rich as hell," she slurred out, walking unsteadily toward the giant man she somehow knew.

"Holy shit, that's Tyrone Gavin!" Chris whispered in awe. "He's the star shooting guard at Arizona State! He's averages 31 points per game- he was gonna be a number one draft pick in the NBA last year but he decided to finish his education because he promised his momma. How the hell does your girl know him?"

Peter's eyes narrowed as he moved closer to the two humans to find out. "Yeah girl! It's me! Come over here and give me a hug, girl!" the soon-to-be-supper called. As he got closer, Peter could tell he was tall, at least 6'6", but that was to be expected in a basketball player good enough for the NBA. Even as the words went through his mind, he knew he couldn't eat the man. It would be way too noticeable and Peter couldn't break his own rule of hunting in this neighborhood.

Still, it took all three male vampires to hold him back when his mate launched herself toward the giant and pulled him in for a close hug. "Hey Ty, come meet my friends. They probably don't know-"

To the mens' shock, Elsa pushed herself forward and reached out to shake his hand. "Mr. Gavin, it's an honor to meet you. My husband and I have followed your career- we're big fans. Can you tell me who you're leaning toward? We have season tickets to the Spurs, and we'd love to see you on the court there. I can pull some strings to get you a good offer if you don't have an agent yet, just let me know."

Ty was torn- he had a thing for blondes, but he'd seen the girl with that big muscled dude and he really didn't feel like fighting anyone tonight. Plus, he wanted to catch up with his shorty and find out where the hell she'd been the past six months.

"Well, my momma would like me to stay in Houston, but I ain't made a final decision yet," he offered, before turning his attention to the completely plastered Izzy. "Iz, girl, where did you go last summer? I told you to call me. I was worried sick about you! I thought that fuckin pimp may have gotten your ass. I was close to putting a crew together and drive up on his ass. I roughed that fucker up first and pulled my deuce and a half but he swore he didn't know shit. Pissed his fuckin pants so I guess he was bein honest."

Bella ducked her head in shame. She wasn't sure how to explain things to Ty, without going into detail about things he couldn't know. "Look, Ty, I really did appreciate your help, but I was all mixed up in stuff that you didn't need any part of. You did your job, you got me out of there, and I will always be grateful to you for that. In fact, I found a job at a bar near the motel where you left me and that's where I met my Pete," she said, turning to indicate her glowering mate with a carefree wave of her slender arm.

By this time, a crowd had gathered anticipating a fight. The girls were clearly all with the strange pale men that gave everyone the creeps. Now they were hanging all over the tall black man that most of the locals were familiar with, and others knew from the television. It looked to be an interesting confrontation.

Knowing all this, Peter stepped in to defuse the situation. "Ty, is it? I'm Peter Whitlock," he offered, sticking his hand out to firmly shake the larger human's. "I own this bar, and this here is my woman. How about we go back to the table and you two can tell me exactly how y'all met."

Bella stepped back, realizing how close she was to Ty, and gave him an apologetic look. "Do you mind, Ty? They don't want any trouble, and I think Peter will be happy to know you once we tell him what happened."

The tense group made their way back to the table, with Ty in the middle sticking out like a sore thumb. He kept his composure on the outside, but the vampires could all smell his fear and hear his increased heart rate. He didn't know why exactly, but he was scared.

Peter pulled Bella down on his lap and indicated the chair next to him for Tyrone. Once everyone was seated, he nodded for the man to begin. "Hey I just here for a drink, not lookin' to bang tonight. Now I got a feelin' I'm surrounded by the ABT and I ain't cool with it. So you boys need to chill the fuck out because I'm down with mine you feel me?"

Peter had no idea what the hell he was talking about so he simply continued to stare.

"Ok, yeah, so I was down in Phoenix at a school-endin' party with some of my crew. We went to this shady little strip club 'cause one of the guys heard something about some _other services_ they offered, and he was havin' trouble with the ladies. Now, Ty ain't ever had trouble with the ladies, but I gotta help a brother out, you know? Long as he wraps that shit it should be all good. Maybe wrap it twice, you know what I mean?" Ty chuckled.

No one else laughed so he continued, "Yeah, so, we're watching the girls dance and puttin' back the booze, when this hot little number come out on the stage. Now, personally, I got a thing for blondes..." he trailed off, suddenly realizing how many blondes were surrounding him. "Um, yeah, so anyway I looked at this little honey and thought she had the finest ass I ever seen on a white girl. I mean, she had a back up you just wanted to grab by both cheeks and kind tap out the star spangled banner on. Tight as a mothafucka…"

Bella was glaring at him to stop the line of conversation and move things along. He smiled apologetically and shrugged his shoulders in chagrin. "Ok, so what Ty was trying to say is that I was dancing for his friends. I'd only been at the club a few days, and I didn't know about the side business they offered. If I had, I never would have taken the job there."

Peter got a cold feeling in his stomach at where this was going, and he really hoped he wouldn't have to kill this man for touching his girl. "Shh, Pete, it's ok. Just listen," she continued. "One of Ty's teammates put in a request for me- he paid for a full hour, but I put up a fight when my manager tried to make me go with him."

The table let out a collective growl that put Ty instantly on edge, and he tried to move his chair away a few inches at a time. Bella stopped him with a hand on his arm, "Ty here stepped in and told his friend to fuck off- punched him pretty damn hard too. My manager fired me, and refused to pay me, but Ty gave me a ride out of there and helped me carry my stuff. See, I lost my home when I lost my job- but I did finally understand why the club provided separate rooms for all the dancers. Apparently they expected us to use them with the clients..."

"Yeah, I could tell that Shorty here wasn't no crack head breezy and she was definitely not down with the set, and I told her I'd help her get back on her feet. I dropped her at a motel for the night and gave her my number to call me if she needed anything, but the girl just up and disappeared! I looked for her for a few days before I had to come home for the summer, then again when I got back to Phoenix this fall. Now I find her here in my own 'hood!"

Ty gave Bella a soft look and tentatively reached for her hand. "I'm glad you're safe now, Iz. You deserve it. These rednecks better treat you right though, or you come find Tyrone Gavin? They may have me at a disadvantage now but I got three cells and one can call the hood down on any redneck in a minute. Don't be doing a ghost on me this time"

Bella giggled and nodded, "I will, Ty. And thank you again for helping me. I will be eternally grateful."

The entire table laughed when he ducked his head in uncharacteristic bashfulness, "Shit, girl. It wasn't nothin'. My momma raised me to respect women, and I just did what needed doin'. Don't owe me a damn thing. Take care baby girl."

Peter finally pulled his face from Bella's hair, where he'd been trying to control his temper, and put his hand on Ty's shoulder. "Thank you. I'm gonna give you my number, and if you ever need anything you give me a call."

Chris jumped at his mate's urging and offered his number as well, saying if he was in the San Antonio or Austin area to look them up. They were quite serious about basketball in their coven, much like Jace was about football. For human drinkers, they were quite involved in their prey's athletic achievements.

Jace kept a sneer on his face the whole time Ty was at the table, but he had to admit a grudging respect for the boy. He'd helped Peter's mate, and that was enough to spare his life- for now. Didn't mean he had to like him. His coven mates would never let him live that down.

Bella watched as her tall, dark savior walked away, and she couldn't help but think that in another life, another time, she could have let herself love a man like that. She shook the odd thoughts away and pulled Peter's head down for a deep, claiming kiss. She wouldn't trade her cowboy for anyone else in the world.

* * *

_AN: And now, back to your regularly-scheduled Bella/Peter story. Just couldn't resist putting that one in there ;)_


	9. Chapter 9

_**AN:** Lots of response to the last chapter! I'm glad y'all enjoyed it! For those not familiar with The Mortal Instruments, you honestly don't need to know anything about them- just google a picture of Clary and Jace and you'll be set. I posted a pic on twitter as well (caystar13star).  
Also, for those who are on **FictionPad**, all my stories are now over there (still under CayStar), along with their beautiful banners. And a huge thanks to **jlove34** for making new banners for Just Between Us and Independence Day- they are amazing- go check 'em out!_

* * *

**Hey Girl- Chapter 9**

With the amount of alcohol Bella had consumed, it didn't take long for her to pass out on Peter's lap. He was content to hold her, playing with her hair as he chatted with his friends. This was the first time all of them had been together in one room with their mates, and the first time he, Chris, and Jace had been together in more than ten years.

"So I take it you didn't tell her who I was, huh Pete?" Jace had waited patiently for the opening, unsure whether or not to speak in front of Bella while she was conscious.

Peter sighed and glanced down at his sleeping mate, knowing he should have said something to her long before this. "No, I didn't. I didn't know how to tell her how badly I fucked up with you."

Jace's eyes immediately hardened to flint, and the humans at the surrounding tables looked over at the sound of his angry growl. "You didn't fuck anything up, Pete. You know that. My shit is all on Maria. Her and your precious _Major. No good, cowardly, selfish bastard..." _He words trailed off to an angry muttering as he cut his eyes away from Peter's sympathetic gaze.

"It's just a tough situation, boy. You know that." Peter's eyes suddenly showed every single year of his age, and he looked between his mate and the boy with a tortured expression. "You've got so much of your Ma in you; I'm surprised she didn't make the connection already."

Chris slammed his fist down on the table and turned his glare on his oldest ally. "Captain, this is bullshit and you know it. The Major made a bad decision, and he's the only one who should feel bad about it." Abruptly his expression turned pained and he looked at Jace in guilt. "I should've done something as well..."

Jace was winding up to argue once more when Bella started mumbling in her sleep, "Hey boo! Mmm, yeah, my sexy beast. Tap that..."

Peter shifted her on his lap and pressed his cold hand against her lower back, "accidentally" waking her up. She swayed a bit as she struggled to sit up, and Peter wrinkled his nose at the stale smell of alcohol on her breath.

Bella blinked and leaned over to kiss him, not noticing how tense he was or the fact that he wasn't breathing. The rest of the group laughed silently at their leader's discomfort, while his mate was completely oblivious. "Hey Pete? I gotta pee," she slurred, and everyone's laughter was no longer silent.

At Peter's blank look, Clary stood up, giggling, to help walk Bella to the restroom. Jace watched them fondly, thinking back to the time when he found his own mate in a bar much like this one. They spent several days together before her change, waiting for Peter to come supervise. Seeing her open her eyes for the first time in this new life had made all the pain he'd suffered worth it.

"I think Clary and your girl are gettin' along great, Pete," Jace offered, and the other vampires at the table nodded their agreement. "I know she misses her human life sometimes, and Bella's givin' her a look at that again."

Peter ducked his head and toyed with the label on his empty beer bottle. A quick glance around the tabletop let him calculate how much his mate had had to drink, and he decided to order her a bottle of water when she came back. Garrett cleared his throat, and he looked up to see everyone watching him expectantly, wondering what he thought.

He sighed and offered a half-hearted nod. His friends couldn't see the whole picture; maybe he should have filled them in on her whole past, instead of just telling them about Victoria. His eyes were hard when he looked back at his fellow soldiers, "Yeah, but _my_ girl has more in common with the rest of us than she does with Clary. She's seen more of war than any human girl has a right to."

~oOo~

Back in the ladies' room, Clary held Bella's hair back while she returned most of the alcohol she drank to the surprisingly clean toilet. She snorted a caustic laugh at the thought- it was Peter's bar, so of course he would be adamant about cleanliness. He couldn't stand the smell of humans, apart from their blood. A cool hand on her neck brought her back to the present, and she flushed in embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry, Clary. I'm not making the best impression here, am I?"

Clary just laughed and helped her to her feet, leading her to the sink so she could rinse her mouth. "Oh, Bella. Don't apologize- I haven't had this much fun since I met Jace. My change kind of brought a quick end to my college partying."

That thought brought Bella up short- she realized she knew nothing about how those two met. Seeing the confused look on her face, Clary continued, "I was a junior at A&M, but I drove up to Dallas to meet up with some friends from high school over spring break. Jace saw me at a club, followed me back to the hotel, and snuck me out the window." She had a wistful look on her face when she looked back at her new friend.

"I hated Jace for almost the first year of my new life. I mean, he stole me from my old life, ripped me away from my family and my friends, and dumped me in a double-wide in Arlington- not your typical fairy tale prince," she smiled mischievously, taking a bit of the sting out of her words, and Bella couldn't help but giggle. "But I realized that my life is _with_ Jace. Sure, I might have stayed human, settled for a 'normal' life, but a part of me would have always been searching, yearning for something else. We need each other."

Bella considered her words thoughtfully as she ran her fingers over Jake's name on her skin. As much as she loved him, she had always known there was more out there for each of them. At the time, she thought she would be the one left behind when Jake finally met his soul mate. Instead, the opposite situation had occurred. She knew they could have been happy together- probably even for the rest of their natural lives- but knowing Peter, and how she felt about him now, she knew he was her true destiny.

Clary noticed her fidgeting, and reached out to get a better look. "This is really good- the design looks Native American. Is it authentic?"

Bella gave her a half smile as she shook her head, "No, it was adapted from a Quileute design dating back centuries." She glanced around and lowered her head closer, "Can they hear me out there?" At Clary's answer in the negative, Bella took a deep breath and continued, "My boyfriend, Jake, was a shapeshifter. A wolf, to be precise. He died for me, so I got this tattoo to honor him, and keep him close."

They began to make their way back to the table, and Clary leaned closer to be sure Bella could hear her. "You know you'll lose the ink with the change, but if you want something added later I can hook you up. I did all of Jace's work."

Bella stopped short and looked at the petite girl in shock. That was probably the absolute last thing she would have expected the girl to say. Clary continued as if she was discussing the weather, "Yeah, I was studying graphic design in college, but I love drawing of any kind. Jace and his buddies had been working with different metals, and combining ink pigment with venom, but I kind of helped them figure it all out. Titanium needles are expensive, but vampires pay good money for my work. Jace is my walking advertisement, and it's healing for him as well. His past... well, I'll let him or Peter fill you in on that, but his scars aren't happy memories at all."

Peter looked wary when she approached him, and he held out a bottle of water as an offering. She smiled at his thoughtfulness, and snuggled back onto his lap with a happy sigh.

It took her a while to notice that the rest of the table was suddenly silent, and staring at her with haunted expressions. Clary was the only one who looked as clueless as she felt, but Jace's arms were wrapped tightly around her with his face buried in her neck.

She looked back at Peter and finally asked, "What?"

Her mate looked guilty for some reason, and she had no idea what could have happened in the past fifteen minutes that would put that look on his face. "Um, Iz? I kind of had to tell them the rest of your story. About the Cullens, and your dad, and... Jacob."

Oh, now she understood. Garrett gave her an encouraging smile, but the rest of them continued to stare with a look she couldn't read. She guessed that they were judging her now that they knew what a danger she truly was, and how she only brought chaos and death to those she touched. They were probably worried about Peter, since he was their friend.

She ducked her head in shame, wishing she could stop the blush from darkening her cheeks. Even worse, she couldn't hold back the tears that threatened to spill over at the thought of their censure. She wasn't sure if she could bear it.

A cool hand on her arm, tracing just outside the bite mark, startled her head up from its hiding place in Peter's neck. She looked up to see Amber leaning over, venom tears welling up in her wise eyes. "Bella, honey, I'm so sorry you've been put through so much. We- all of us- have faced horrors, and we have all lost someone we love," she spoke softly, keeping Bella locked in her crimson gaze. "I know you have Peter, but if you need to talk to one of us, we are here for you as well."

The pain in her eyes spoke to her sincerity, and Bella couldn't help but wonder who she had lost. A glance at Garrett had her biting her tongue; Amber would tell her if she needed to know.

Jace could no longer hold his anger back, and he broke the quiet gathering with a snarl. "So once we deal with the red-head, are we gonna hunt down the fuckin' Major? He fucked with your mate, Pete. As if everythin' else wasn't bad enough. You owe me this, Peter. You fuckin' owe me."

Bella's eyes were wide- shocked by the sheer amount of vitriol in his tone. She wasn't sure how Jace knew Jasper, but it obviously wasn't a pleasant history. She glanced at Peter, who was frowning at the younger boy, but not necessarily in a chastising manner. Chris, to her surprise, was nodding vehemently. Jasper clearly didn't have many fans in this group.

At Jace's angry words and low, animalistic growls, the humans at the tables nearby had looked up in fear. Peter knew it was time to go, and he hoped he wasn't making a mistake inviting the rest of them back to his home.

They agreed to be civil and everyone moved to the parking lot. Bella watched curiously, wanting to see what these vampires drove- she wondered if they were practical like Peter, or showy like the Cullens. They turned out to be a bit of both.

Jace and Clary climbed onto a sleek black motorcycle- something they could clearly only drive at night in this sunny state. Chris and Elsa drove an enormous black SUV that cranked with a rumble louder than Peter's huge truck. She didn't even want to imagine what the gas bill was for that monstrosity.

Noticing her attention, Garrett leaned over to share the gossip, "That Excursion belonged to the younger George Bush when he was president. It's bulletproof- not that they need it- and the tint is dark enough that they can get out in the daytime without being seen."

Bella hummed her complete lack of interest, and Amber laughed as she patted her arm. "Pete, I ran down here last night, do you mind if I ride out with y'all?"

Garrett pulled her happily to the backseat, and Bella was worried about what exactly they were going to do on the ride home. She let Peter lift her into the seat, and stretched out with her head on his thigh to rest her eyes.

The vampires spoke quietly over her head, but she couldn't turn her mind off enough to go to sleep. The alcohol was wearing off, and her thoughts were clearer. They had only been driving a few minutes before she sat up and looked at Peter curiously, "Peter? Why does Jace hate Jasper so much?"

Garrett and Amber quit talking immediately, and the tension in the truck ramped up several degrees. Peter's hands tightened on the wheel before he forced himself to relax his hold and reach for his mate. He pulled her close to his side, both for comfort, and so he wouldn't have to look her in the face while he told her.

"Bella, I probably should have told you this before, but I didn't know how to even start," he sighed.

She looked up at him in worry and reached up to rest her soft hand on his cheek. "Why don't you start at the beginning? Who is Jace?"

Peter couldn't back down from an opening like that, so he braced himself for her reaction and just let it out, "Jace is Charlotte's son."

The words hung heavy in the air for a few seconds as Bella tried to wrap her mind around them. _Jace is Charlotte's son._ Her son how? When she was human? Vampires can't have babies, can they?

Now that he said it, Peter rushed to explain. "I had no idea, Bella. Jasper brought Char to me after he'd already bitten her. He told me he was going to take care of her husband, but he never said a word about a son! Char didn't remember when she woke up, and I still don't know if that was for the best or not."

Bella pulled back enough to look at her mate's face, hurting at the pain and guilt she saw there. "So what happened to him?" she asked quietly.

Peter focused his eyes back on the road; they were leaving the lights of the city behind and making their way slowly back to Peter's house. "Jace was five years old. He was hiding in the barn when Jasper drained his father- the animals masked his scent and heartbeat until it was too late.

"Jas took him out, and whatever he saw made him decide to spare the kid. He took him to an orphanage in the city and left him there. That should have been the end of it," Peter's voice hardened as he spoke about his sire and the child of his companion. "Chris thinks that after we left the next year, Jasper started checking up on Jace. I don't know what the hell he hoped to accomplish, but he visited with him, told him about his mama and how much she loved him."

Bella gasped in shock at the picture he was painting. Jasper sounded like he loved the boy, but she couldn't understand why he never told Peter about him. "When we came back for Jas, Jace would have been about eleven- and apparently he was the spitting image of his Ma. Jasper never told Charlotte he was alive, and we left him there in Texas when we moved out."

They had reached the house by this time, and pulled into the garage, right before Jace and Clary roared up on the bike. Bella didn't know what to say, or if the other vampires had heard what they were discussing on the way home. Jace answered her unspoken question with his first words.

"Tell her what happened next, Pete. Tell her who found me after that bastard left. Tell her who followed his damn scent trail like a fuckin' neon sign. Tell her who made my life a livin' hell," Jace's voice rose to a shout, and Clary slid under his arm to calm him down.

Bella didn't need anyone to tell her what had happened. The story was clear as day in his starved and tortured body. Jace's last human years had clearly been spent in the company of a sadistic vampire bitch. "_Maria."_


	10. Chapter 10

_**AN: **I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who voted for me in the Fandom Choice awards! I ended up winning 2nd place for Best Bella Swan and Best Romance with Objects in Mirror; 3rd place Best Short for The Quiet Ones; and 3rd place Best non-canon and Best supporting cast with Independence Day._

* * *

**Hey Girl- Chapter 10**

The couples each needed time alone, so everyone split up when they made their way into the house. They were grateful for the money Peter had spent soundproofing the walls, and they intended to make the most of their mini-vacation.

Peter hauled Bella straight to the shower, handing her a toothbrush with a wry grin. She blushed as she stood at the sink in nothing but her sheer thong- Pete had ripped the rest of her clothes off before turning the water on to warm up.

Once her mouth no longer tasted of stale whiskey and vomit, Peter washed the scents of the bar from her skin and hair, not lingering under the water like he normally would. He needed her in his arms, under the covers of his bed- safe and protected.

She giggled when he slid his cool body over hers, pulling the thick duvet over them both. His eyes seemed to glow in the room's low light, and she sucked in her breath when he dipped his head to trace his nose up the column of her throat. His "mmm" was combination of a growl and a needy moan. It was getting harder for him to hold off on marking her- changing her- but he fought back his demon with no small effort.

"Hey, Peter? You ok, baby?" Bella's worried tone brought his eyes back to hers, and he nodded gently before leaning down to press his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. Her legs fell open, and he settled himself between them, content to move slowly, as if there was no deadline on her human life.

His cool tongue danced languidly in her warm mouth, seeking every corner to taste her delicious flavor. One part of his brain wondered how much her scent and taste would change with the addition of his venom, and a very small part mourned the future loss of her humanity.

As if she sensed his drop in mood, Bella's hands traced their way down his back, before circling around to seek his smooth length he had pressed lightly against her thigh. He groaned when she wrapped her hands around him, warming him with her heat.

His forehead rested on her breast, right above her rapidly beating heart, "_Fuck_, sugar. That feels so good."

She pulled her hands away with a smirk, and leaned up to kiss his nose when he looked at her accusingly. "Yes, baby. That's the point. Now _fuck me_."

He growled at the challenge, and quickly slid into her with one smooth stroke. Bella was sure the others could still hear her cry of pleasure, despite the sound-proof walls, but she was so caught up in her mate that she simply didn't care.

Peter was filled with a strange sense of urgency, a desire to cling to his mate with everything he had. The reminders tonight of her human fragility were still too close, and he shivered in her arms as he filled her with his cold seed.

"Shh, it's ok. I'm here. I love you, Peter," she whispered to him as she once again smoothed her hands down his back in comfort. He was startled to find that he was trembling, nearly overcome with emotion. He didn't know how, and he didn't know why, but for some reason he felt like he was going to lose her.

When that thought hit him, he jerked back with a start. Her eyes were wide as she traced the lines of his face, now tight with stress and fear. He didn't have an idea how to even begin discussing his concerns, so he just shook his head and rolled over to his side, pulling her into his arms.

Surrounded by her scent, feeling her soft, heated body safe within his grasp, he gradually began to relax. She didn't push him for answers, just rested quietly in his familiar embrace. Between the long evening at the bar, and their more recent activity in bed, she quickly drifted off to sleep.

Peter lay there, finally content, and began to run though the list of things he needed to do before leaving town. As much as he hated to think about it, he would have to leave his mate long enough to hunt and run a quick border around his territory. He hadn't hunted since that first night after he met Bella, and it had been almost a month since then. He could probably stretch himself longer, but he wanted to be at full strength with a newborn on his hands.

Bella shifted in his arms, getting a bit chilled, and he adjusted the blankets around her before he stroked his fingers through her hair as she fell back into a deeper sleep. He was surprised to realize he would miss moments like this after she was changed. He hadn't spent any quality time with humans since his change, but it hadn't taken him long to fall into her routine. His mouth lifted into a smile when he reminded himself they could still spend plenty of time in bed- even if she no longer needed to sleep.

After a few hours, Garrett sent him a text asking if Peter could meet with everyone. He frowned at the interruption, but knew he couldn't shirk his responsibilities if he was going to keep the fragile peace that had held so far between these naturally aggressive leaders. He knew they only deferred to him out of respect for his history, and they would never let another vampire lead them.

Easing out from under his sleeping mate, he found his jeans and pulled them on, deciding to forego a shirt and let his scars remind his friends who was in charge around here. They were still on his turf.

When Peter took out Maria, he found unexpected support and even more unexpected responsibility. Chris, Diego, and Jace probably would have ended up fighting one another for control of the territory, if Peter hadn't stepped in and pointed out that there was plenty of room for them all. They had coexisted together for decades, and there was no reason to divide their state now that the head bitch was gone.

Peter claimed his hometown of Houston for himself, and Diego likewise chose El Paso. Chris tried to offer Austin to Jace, but the boy wanted to put some distance between his human life and his new immortal one. He headed to Dallas, dragging along two vamps who were barely past their newborn year, but who were quite large, and loyal to him as well.

Jace didn't know Peter, but seeing him hold Maria's head up over their camp was enough to earn his trust. Learning that the older vampire was avenging Jace's own mother just sealed the deal even further. Peter was horrified when he first learned what Jasper had done, but he still wanted to believe his sire hadn't acted maliciously.

Jasper hadn't told Jace what he was, and he probably left him behind thinking the boy would grow up and live a normal human life. It still didn't make things right, and it was definitely something Peter would ask him next time he saw the Major.

Slipping down the stairs silently, Peter found his colleagues gathered in the living room. Chris and Elsa were sitting strategically on the couch, with Jace and Clary off to the left of him, and Garrett standing near the fireplace to his right. While Jace had kept himself in check while in Bella's presence, he was currently muttering not-so-quietly about that 'damn yankee' that Peter insisted on bringing around. Garrett laughed it off with his normal good humor- something that only irritated Jace even further.

"Ok, what's so important that you dragged me away from my mate, huh?" Peter stood in the center of the room, arms crossed as he looked at each vampire.

Chris cleared his throat, "Um, me and Elsa need to get back home. One of my boys called and said they caught a new scent we need to check out. None of them can track for shit- they depend on me too much I guess."

"Yeah, and I think me and Clary are gonna follow 'em up- in case this vamp tries to cross through my territory," Jace added, though he still looked to Peter for permission, where Chris just stated his intentions.

Peter sighed and nodded his agreement, "Yeah, I figured y'all couldn't stick around real long. Maybe you can come visit us after Bella's change- once she's a little more stable. I know she'd really like that."

They chatted for another hour or so, until they heard Bella moving around upstairs. She came downstairs wearing one of Peter's shirts, still half-asleep and very hungover. "Ugh, I feel like shit," she said, as she curled up in her mate's lap. His cool hand on her forehead was just what she needed.

Clary giggled, bringing out another groan from the human, and they all said their goodbyes before heading out. The sun was starting to break through the morning clouds, but Jace and Clary put on their motorcycle jackets, helmets, and gloves, and set out with Chris and Elsa headed back to their respective cities. Bella was sad to see them go, but Peter promised her they would see them again soon.

Once everyone left, the remaining vampires and human sat down to discuss their next move. Being this close to their new home, they were all feeling the urgency to get on the road and get Bella's change underway.

When Peter brought up the tasks he still needed to do before they left town, Bella pouted a bit as she realized she couldn't be with her mate. Garrett and Amber offered to start their drive north, leaving Peter to run and catch up once he finished up.

It wasn't an ideal solution, but it would have to do. The drive to their new home would take somewhere between 3.5 and 4 hours, depending on how fast Garrett drove. They wouldn't have to worry about traffic traveling the highways at night, once they made it out of Houston anyway. Peter would be able to hunt and run his perimeters in less than an hour and hopefully catch up to them before they made it to their home near the little town of Hawkins.

Bella studied the map on her phone as the vampires discussed their travel options, and she was pleased to see that their home was about halfway between Jace and Clary in Dallas, and Amber's home in Shreveport. Once she was able to travel, she would be able to visit her new friends easily.

All too soon, evening approached and Bella and Peter had to say goodbye. She held him tightly, and he hugged her right back, breathing in her scent as if he could store it up and carry it with him. He pulled her up and kissed her deeply, until she pulled away gasping for breath.

"It's ok, Sugar. Just a few hours. I'll be right behind you, and then we'll never be apart again," Peter rested his forehead against hers and used his thumbs to gently wipe her tears away. "Garrett and Amber will keep you distracted- you won't even have time to miss me."

She nodded a bit and raised up to steal one last kiss. The others were already waiting for her in the truck, and she glanced at them before looking back to Peter one last time. "I love you, Pete. Be careful, ok? I can't lose you now."

Her eyes didn't meet his again as she turned and ran for the truck. She hauled herself into the backseat and slammed the door- though that flimsy piece of metal couldn't stop Peter from hearing her sobs, or his heart from feeling their separation.

Garrett waved sadly and backed slowly out of the driveway, making his way toward Houston, then north to their newly-purchased house in the piney woods of East Texas. Bella spoke very little on the way, despite their attempts to engage her in conversation. Her human eyes couldn't see much of the scenery around her, just trees and a seemingly endless stretch of winding highway.

She had finally cracked her first smile when Garret teased her about the local wildlife preserve, saying that it would serve as her new hunting grounds if the woods around their house didn't offer her enough variety, when they were interrupted by his phone ringing insistently. "Hey Pete-"

His words were cut off abruptly and he gave Amber a worried look as he responded to Peter's anxious query, "We're just north of Tyler- probably twenty minutes away, why?"

Bella never heard if her mate responded, because the truck was suddenly slammed from the side, and it took all of Garrett's efforts to keep them rolling into the ditch. He was cussing a blue streak as he tried to gain control of the vehicle, and the last thing Bella saw was a large pine tree right outside her window. She let out a scream as her world faded to black.

~oOo~

Peter tried to hunt quickly, just grabbing the first person who came down the alley he was stalking. It still took him almost an hour to get settled, feed, and dispose of the body, putting him behind schedule already. He was anxious to be on his way, and back with his mate once more.

As he began his loop around the city, periodically marking the border with his venom, his mind traveled back over the past few weeks since he met Bella. He was so pleased that his friends liked her, and that she got along with them as well. He'd been most worried about Jace's reaction, but he and Clary were her strongest supporters. He was glad his past and future were blending together so well.

He was about 3/4 of the way around his boundary when his senses suddenly went on high alert. There was an unfamiliar scent that crossed the city from the northeast. He pulled his phone out to call Chris, wanting to know if their coven had found anything when they got home.

"Yeah, we had a faint trail, several days old, that cut through the south edge of our area and headed east. I didn't follow it too far, figuring it was just somebody passing through. Why?" Peter's sense of dread wasn't eased by Chris's unaffected attitude, and something was telling him this was more than a coincidence.

He hung up on his ally as he followed the scent and realized the vampire had headed north, following the same road his mate traveled just a few short hours ago. He took off at full speed, hoping desperately for the scent to veer off and go anywhere else.

Consumed with fear, Peter pulled out his phone to call and warn Garrett, hoping he could reach them before this strange vampire made a move. He wouldn't allow himself to consider the alternative. "Garrett? Where are you?" he barked out in a rough voice he hadn't used since he killed Maria.

Garrett responded instantly, and Peter could tell he was worried, _We're just north of Tyler- probably twenty minutes away, why?_

Peter stopped running and hit his knees when the call was abruptly cut off with sound of muffled curses and screeching metal. His mate's worried scream was the last sound he heard, and he let out an ear-splitting roar before he pulled himself up and took off running once more. He had to find her. He couldn't lose her. Not now. Not again.


	11. Chapter 11

_**AN: **If you were first introduced to Tyrone Gavin back in chapter 8, you might want to go check out Betterintexas new story- The Bodyguard. It's a Bella/Ty story that starts after his Christmas one shot. Looks to be a good one!_

_H__ere's the next chapter... And... ACTION!_

* * *

_Disclaimer: All recognizable characters are the property of their respective authors. Amber is mine, but I'll share her with Garrett. I must really love her ;)_

**Hey Girl- Chapter 11**

Garrett dropped the phone as something slammed into the truck from the passenger side. Supernatural reflexes still had no bearing on the forces of physics, and he was fighting desperately to control the truck's spin on the dark road. A flash of red caught his eye just as the vehicle skidded toward a large pine tree at the side of the highway.

Bella was sitting behind him, so he knew he had to do whatever he could to keep her from slamming directly into the tree. With mere seconds left to act, he punched his fist through the window, not bothering to roll it down, and let go of the wheel to grab onto the trunk.

Amber dove toward the backseat just as Bella screamed, and she wrapped her arms around the human girl to try and act as a protective cage as Garrett pulled the truck to a jerking stop, felling the tree in the process.

Before either of them could move to extricate themselves from the vehicle, they picked up the scent of several strange vampires. One landed on the hood of the truck, reaching through the windshield to pull Garrett out by his neck. The strength of his grip nearly severed Garrett's head, and he knew immediately this was a newborn.

Amber was suddenly showered with glass as her window exploded around her, and she smelled Bella's blood welling up at once. A vampire with red hair was watching her from the passenger side of the truck, but someone else grabbed Amber's hair from behind and yanked her roughly through the broken window.

After a short scuffle, Garrett broke free from the newborn's grip, only to see another one heading his way. He settled into his fighting stance immediately, letting out a loud warning growl. The vampires both charged him, but he dodged their grasp easily.

Garrett quickly dispatched the two vampires who attacked him, and he turned his attention to the red-head. He knew from Peter and Bella's descriptions that this must be Victoria. She was no newborn, and he sized her up warily, waiting to see what she would do.

Amber was battling a large male, who had somehow gotten between her and the truck. He was at least close to a year old, but still physically stronger than the smaller vampire. He didn't have even a fraction of her fighting skills though.

With a quick twisting jump, she was perched on his shoulders and his head was detached almost instantly. When Victoria saw her last ally's demise, she began to back away from Garrett. He pounced toward her quick as lightning, but his hands seemed to go straight through her when he tried to grab her.

"Fuck!" he screamed, launching himself after her as she turned and ran. He didn't get far before Amber's screams brought him back.

"Garrett! Get back here! _NOW!_" Amber was frantic, and Garrett only considered his choices for a second or two. Peter would never forgive him if he let something happen to Bella. Victoria could run, but she couldn't hide forever.

When he reached the scene of the accident, he realized they had some major clean-up to do. Three bodies needed to be burned, and the truck appeared to be a total loss. But what caught his attention was the intense smell of fresh blood. Bella was injured.

Sprinting to the truck, he covered his mouth in horror at the sight he was facing. Amber was holding Bella's torso in her arms, but the panic on her face was definitely warranted. The human girl was completely covered in blood, and it only took a second for Garrett to see why.

Just below her left ear, a three-inch wide jagged piece of glass was sticking out of the side of her slender neck. Blood was pouring out of her at an alarming rate, and Garrett knew if they pulled out the glass it would only get worse. She needed venom- immediately.

"You have to do it Garrett. I can't stay here, and I can't commit to this right now," Amber looked at him apologetically as she pleaded with him. "Do it now- she's fading fast."

Garrett hadn't sired anyone since his time in the wars, and he was terrified to do it now. He knew the choice was out of his hands, but he was nervous just the same. He gave a jerky nod and crouched down beside the girls.

It didn't take much effort for his mouth to fill with venom- Bella's blood was some of the sweetest he'd ever smelled. Keeping his eyes on her face, he fought back his bloodlust and moved in closer. This was Bella- Peter's mate, and his friend. She wasn't food. She needed his help.

Gathering the venom in his mouth, he leaned as close as he could and pulled the shard of glass out in one quick movement. He immediately covered the gash with his mouth, pushing the venom in and sealing it with his tongue.

Less than a second later, her weak heartbeat jolted, but he was already at her wrists, biting down and pushing more venom in. Her eyes flew open in a panic, just in time to clench shut with the pain of the change. He carefully lined his teeth up with James and Edward's bite, determined to try and erase that pain from her memories as best he could.

He had just finished biting her ankles when Amber screamed. A rumbling growl was the only other warning he got as Peter flew in and tackled him, carrying them deep into the treeline. He rolled and tried to face his friend, when he realized he wasn't looking at Peter. This was the Captain.

~oOo~

Peter felt his entire nature darken along with his eyes as he flew north along the deserted Texas highway. The clear-cut instincts of the Captain took over as his more human feelings fled.

His mind was traveling a million directions at once- cursing himself for leaving his mate in someone else's care, cursing Chris for not following the strange scent when it headed this way, and most of all cursing the fucking Cullens for simply existing. Everything kept coming back to them.

He took a chance when he got to Tyler- leaping silently through trees and across rooftops as he sped through the city, and taking a giant leap across the wide loop. He honestly didn't care if anyone saw him- if something happened to Bella he would be seeking his own death- after the Cullens were ash, that is.

Terror washed over him when he picked up on the scent of fresh blood as he crossed the trail of four vampires- one of whom was the one he scented down in Houston. He knew this had to be Victoria- no one else would be seeking his mate, and the other three still held the heavy human scent of a new vampire. Vicky had been busy.

His eyes zeroed in on his mate as he rounded a bend in the road and saw the horrific crash site. Bella was laying on the ground, in the arms of a female vampire. Peter was too far gone to recognize his friend, but she didn't hold his attention for long. He had a bigger target in sight.

The tall male vampire was kneeling over his mate with his teeth still in her flesh. Peter never slowed as he lowered his head and dove for the male with a feral growl. He rocketed them away from his mate, and shoved the taller vampire into the dirt with a roar.

"Peter! Captain- Peter- it's me! It's Garrett! You have to calm down- Bella needs you! Bella- Please! Think of Bella!" Peter blinked twice and finally realized he had his teeth at Garrett's throat. Where was Bella? Iz? Where was his mate?

Garrett let out a relieved sigh at the look of panic and recognition in Peter's eyes. He kept his hands up in surrender, not wanting to goad Peter's instincts when he was still covered in Bella's blood. "Pete?" he finally ventured quietly, when the other vampire showed no indication of moving.

Peter leaned close and sniffed at Garrett's clothing, taking in the scent of his mate spilled out over his friend. He was up a like a shot, racing back to the truck, where Amber had wisely laid Bella out and stepped away.

He fell to his knees beside his broken mate, afraid to touch her and cause her more harm. His beast roared at the sight of her blood, spilled all around like a scene from a cheesy horror movie. But this was no Hollywood special effect- this was Bella's life force, staining the ground a deep crimson.

"Oh, Sugar," he finally sighed, as he leaned over to tenderly brush her hair back from her face. Her teeth were clenched tight, and face twisted in a painful grimace, but she still arched into his touch looking for comfort.

His eyes catalogued the damage done to her, the tiny superficial wounds that were already closing up, the lump on the side of her head that was still swollen where she must have hit her head during the collision. He didn't know that Amber was eaten up with guilt thinking she had caused that particular injury. Everyone would be beating themselves up over this for a while.

The jagged rip in the pale skin of her neck made him growl in a mixture of anger and regret. He should have been here. He should have been the one to protect her, and the one to change her. If she had to be injured, it should have been his venom sealing that gash- marking her for eternity.

Checking her over, he noted the marks at her wrists and ankles, and he couldn't help but appreciate Garrett's thoroughness. His friend made sure he put enough venom in to get her through the change, despite her massive blood loss.

He carefully pulled her into his arms, pleased when she relaxed slightly in his cool embrace. "I'm so sorry, Bella. This was all my fault. I never should have let you go without me," he whispered quietly against her ear, ignoring the movements of the others as they pulled their bags from the truck and piled the scattered vampire parts in the cab and bed to set fire to them.

Peter knew it was time to move on, that they needed to hurry to reach their house before dawn. But it was hard for him to leave the scene of the last waking moments of Bella's human life. Isabella Swan, Izzy Black- they had both died on the side of this road. Bella Whitlock would awake with a strength she'd never had before, and her mate would be right by her side.

Garrett finally ventured over to stand in front of the couple. He had tossed his bloody clothes into the truck and changed into new ones to try to minimize Peter's ire. He knew his friend would be volatile enough without the added stress of seeing his mate's sire covered in her blood. He was still nervous enough when he finally spoke, "Uh, Pete? We need to get going."

Pete kept his eyes on his girl as he slowly rose to his feet. Garrett helped him slip a large backpack on, one that clearly held Bella's belongings as her precious scent rose from the dense fabric.

Once Peter had stepped far enough away, Garrett tossed a match on the pile, igniting the venom-soaked limbs in a fiery blaze. At that moment, Peter realized he hadn't seen a single hint of red hair among the deceased.

His eyes were blazing when he turned to the taller vampire. "She got away?!" he thundered, positively livid at the thought. "You fuckin' let that low-life piece of shit get away?!"

Garrett ducked his head in shame, knowing he'd failed, but Amber surprised them both by stomping up and getting right in Peter's face. She poked him in the chest, just above where he held Bella's close to him, and he let out a soft growl in defense.

"Don't you growl at me, Peter Whitlock. I'm not one of your fucking minions. Garrett ain't either," she spoke firmly. "Now, we might have let that red-headed bitch get away, but it weren't no easy task catching her. Garrett made a choice between saving your mate or seeking revenge- and I think you'll agree he chose right. So don't you worry about what did or didn't happen, and focus on what you've got. That girl is lucky to be alive, and in just a few days she's gonna be a hell of a lot sturdier than she was before. You owe Garrett for that. You owe him everything."

Peter looked at her steadily, not surprised when she didn't back down. Amber and Elsa may have been raised as part of the southern gentry, but they'd lived several lifetimes since then, and they didn't take shit from nobody. He felt a stab of guilt when he saw the venom tears shimmering in her eyes- he knew she was thinking of her own mate, who was killed not long after Jasper was changed. He'd foolishly challenged Maria's coven in battle, and Amber barely escaped with her life.

He couldn't imagine now how she'd ever managed to move on from the all-consuming pain of a lost mate, but she was stubborn, and a very strong woman. In the past decade or so, she had found comfort with Garrett, and Peter was glad to see her stand up in his defense.

He glanced at Garrett and took a deep breath, pulling Bella's already-changing scent deep into his lungs. Amber was right. He had his mate, and she was suffering silently through the change- showing them all just how strong she truly was. He would have plenty of time to catch Victoria later. Right now he had to focus on Bella, and get her home safely.

Without another word, he turned to run down the side of the road, staying out of view behind the trees. He was terrified when he realized just how close they were- Victoria clearly knew where they were headed. How did she find out? How did she know where to look?

They remained silent until they finally reached the dirt drive, partially hidden by the dense undergrowth. Peter had no intention of clearing it out anytime soon- they didn't need any curious humans stopping by to meet their new neighbors.

Peter chose this house for its location more than its amenities. It was a three-bedroom ranch style home, built in the late 1980's. Bella had laughed when they pulled up the realtor photos- telling him how much she loved the pastel floral wallpaper that covered every single wall in the house. He knew they'd be pulling paper for a while- on the walls that Bella managed not to break anyway.

Their house was set deep in the woods, centered on about fifty acres that backed up to a wildlife preserve. Peter knew they'd have to be vigilant when they took Bella out to hunt- the humans around here might wander onto their property doing a little hunting of their own.

Amber and Garrett tried their best to hide their reactions when they saw the house. Peter had it cleaned, and had some basic furniture delivered, but the wallpaper was a bit overwhelming in person- especially to those with vampire eyesight. Maybe they could get started tearing it down while they waited for Bella to wake up.

As he laid his mate on the mattress in the spare room- not wanting to taint their bedroom with the memory of this pain- he finally spoke, "Gar?"

Garrett ventured closer, leaning against the door jamb, but not stepping all the way into the room. He looked at Peter expectantly, and crossed his arms as he waited. Peter sighed and looked up, "I just wanted to thank you. Amber's right- I do owe you everything. Thank you for saving Bella- for turning her for me. I can never repay you for that."

Garrett met his eyes, dead serious for once. "Just love her, Pete. That's all you have to do. That girl deserves to be treasured." There was a strange look on his face- longing almost, though Peter knew his friend wasn't coveting his mate. Garrett sighed and looked down at the ground, tucking his hands in his pockets and hunching his shoulders down, "I may be her sire, but you'll always be her mate. No one can ever replace that."

Peter looked down at his mate, tracing her features with a light touch, and when he looked back up, Garrett was gone.

* * *

_**AN:** I posted a picture on twitter of Garrett there at the end. Mostly because I love staring at Lee Pace. Anyway, go check it out_


End file.
